Malolos City—Central Luzon Police Regional Commander Brig. Gen. Rhodel Sermonia has lauded the efforts of police operatives in clamping down on illegal gambling activities in Bulacan.
Gambling in any form is outlawed while the province remains under general community quarantine (GCQ) with the number of persons infected with the coronavirus rising by the day.
Based on a report by Bulacan police provincial commander Col. Lawrence Cajipe, 21 were arrested in anti-gambling operations conducted over the weekend in the cities of San Jose Del Monte (SJDM) and Meycauayan and in Pandi town.
Sermonia said the police crackdown was intensified amid an alarming rise in the number of persons infected by the COVID-19 disease in the three cities and 21 towns of Bulacan.
As of July 19, the total confirmed positive cases in the province has reached 870 with 547 active cases and 2 new cases. Death toll has remained at 41 for several weeks now.
The highest number of active cases are in San Jose del Monte (105); Marilao (55); Malolos (46);
Meycauayan (41); Baliuag and Norzagaray, both with 37 cases.
Meanwhile, two villages in Pulilan (Barangay Balatong A and Penabatan), and barangays Panginay and Magdalena subdivision in San Juan, both in Balagtas town, also reported new cases of infected families.
Three other barangays in Baliuag (Tangos, Subic and Poblacion) were placed under zonal lockdown.
The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office said another house in Barangay Balatong B, a compound in Barangay Dulong Malabon, and a house in Barangay Lumbak, all in Pulilan, were placed on total lockdown.
Vice Governor Willy Sy-Alvarado has expressed concern about the rising number of infections despite the first COVID testing lab starting operation this week at the Mayor Joni Villanueva Molecular Laboratory in Brgy. Igulot, Bocaue.