INQUIRER Sports

MANILA -- Six alleged scalpers, including an employee of the University of the Philippines, have been arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation in an entrapment at Araneta Coliseum for selling overpriced tickets to the UAAP basketball games.

The NBI-Special Task Force, led by head agent Arnel Dalumpines, nabbed Ferdinand Glodoveza, 43, a staff member of the UP administration office; Eduardo Sibayan, 30, security guard; Arnel Mangalindan, 52, of Quezon City; Lito Oncines, 22, of Compostela Valley; Mark Toreta, 21, of QC; and Elias Pena, 37, of QC.

The six suspects were caught red-handed as they sold exorbitantly priced tickets to the much-awaited game of the De La Salle Green Archers vs the Ateneo Blue Eagles, and prior to that of the University of Santo Tomas Tigers vs UP Maroons Saturday.

The suspects peddled upper box A tickets, priced at P150, to the poseur-buyers for P1,000, while upper box B tickets that usually cost P75 went up to P750. Patron seats that cost P250 were jacked up from P5,000 up, said Dalumpines.

A total of 41 tickets were confiscated from them, including those for the following day's cheer dancing competition.

The suspects were charged Monday with violation of Quezon City ordinance no. SP-493, S-97 or the Anti-Scalping Law at the QC Prosecutor's Office, and have remained behind bars at the NBI jail.

A bail of P2,000 each was recommended.

It was complainant Uniprom Inc., the marketing arm of Araneta Coliseum, which wrote to NBI director Nestor Mantaring on September 3 to ask their help to halt the illegal operations.

"Scalpers are not intimidated by our security personnel. On several occasions, our security personnel have apprehended many scalpers and even lodged the necessary criminal complaints against them. However, said scalpers continue with their illegal activities," said Uniprom chief of operations Manuel Atacador in the letter.

He added that they have received information that the scalpers were financed by a "small group of policemen assigned in Quezon City."

Dalumpines said the scalpers might be part of a syndicate but added that an investigation would be conducted to pinpoint the mastermind.

As for the source of the tickets, the NBI said the suspects might have access to the participating schools since 80 percent of the tickets went to them while Araneta only retained 20 percent.

The University of the Philippines, the host school for the 71st UAAP season, was said to get a bigger share of the tickets.

Since the tickets have been bought, Dalumpines said scalping did not translate to losses for Araneta but to the eager UAAP supporters who were being forced to cough up more money for the basketball games.

He added that the NBI would pursue a continuing drive against the scalpers, especially as the semi-final matches were approaching.