PNP: Crimes against property in Lucena City rise due to online gambling
INQUIRER FILES
LUCENA CITY — Crimes in this capital city of Quezon province decreased last year, except for crimes against property, which police attribute to gamblers addicted to online gambling.
Lt. Col. Dennis de Guzman, Lucena police chief, reported on Friday that crimes in 2024 decreased by 217 cases, or 13.2 percent, compared to the previous year. However, “crimes against property surged at an alarming rate beginning in December 2024 and continued into January 2025.”
“Based on CIRAS (Crime Information, Reporting, and Analysis System) database records and investigator interviews, 20 out of 29 apprehended suspects [in crimes against property] admitted to being addicted to online gambling via their mobile phones,” he added.
He also said the crime rate for property-related offenses showed a 480 percent increase compared to the previous year, which had only five recorded incidents.
In the report, De Guzman cited the personal profiles of some arrested suspects.
Article continues after this advertisementAn alias “May,” 24, who was responsible for handling her employer’s daily sales collection, was lured into an online casino she discovered on Facebook.
Article continues after this advertisementHoping to win a jackpot, she continued gambling online, which led to more losses.
At the time of her arrest, instead of depositing P20,000 in sales, she had used the money to gamble and lost P16,000.
Two other suspects, “Ben” and “Carl,” both construction workers in their 30s, were arrested for attempting to rob a fried chicken stand.
Both admitted they committed the crime to fund their gambling habit on their favorite online casino, “Scatter.”
“The testimonies of arrested suspects confirm that gambling addiction can impair moral judgment, leading individuals to commit theft or fraud to sustain their habits. The promise of quick wealth lures them in, but chasing losses often results in financial ruin and criminal behavior,” De Guzman said.
He explained that the prevalence of online gambling apps, combined with Filipinos’ high social media usage—averaging 8 hours and 52 minutes daily—has made online gambling more accessible and its consequences more severe.
To prevent local police from engaging in online gambling, De Guzman said they have been conducting routine checks on officers’ mobile phones for signs of gambling activity.
The police are also conducting anti-online gambling awareness campaigns through mainstream and social media to educate the public about its risks.
