BE careful the next time you play a pickup game on the streets.
Eleven persons were arrested on Tuesday in Balamban, Cebu for gambling after residents complained of noise stemming from their games.
In a report of SunStar Cebu, the local police responded to the grievances of the residents of Barangay Aliwanay as the individuals caught were betting on the three-point shootout.
"They are very noisy there. This cannot be considered a pastime as it already involved bet amounting to thousands, this is gambling indeed," said Senior Master Sergeant Eugene Taboada from Balamban Police Station as the police conducted operations after receiving the complaint call.
The officer said that the residents already gave warning to the individuals regarding the noise they created, but they were ultimately snubbed, prompting them to go to the police.
Eleven arrested for illegal gambling
The 11 players were jailed in violation of Presidential Decree 1602 or the Illegal Gambling Law.
Police also seized the basketball used and a P290 bet.
Insider information shared by Balamban Police Station chief Lt. Col. Glenn Hife said that bets placed on these shooting games would reach in the thousands.
"There were some who placed P2,000 bet for every shot made, while others placed thousands for every missed shot. The gambling is rampant," he said.
The court has set a P30,000 bail for the individuals caught, with an option to lower the amount depending on the court hearings.
The report also cited that wives were also ranting that these activities have led to them to struggle in their daily lives, with some not being able to buy rice due to their husbands' gambling.
"It's okay to play basketball, but there are times that they lost their cool due to the large amount of bet money," said Taboada.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph