BULL’S HIT

Jueteng, video machines and new DOTC chief
Rudy Garcia

The arrest of lintang Bedol is a welcome development on the ongoing inquiry over the alleged manipulation of votes in Maguindanao. His arrest however doesn’t mean he was proven guilty but he would be placed under proper-jurisdiction while the investigation is going on.

The public wants to see him placed behind bars once found guilty to set an example and deliver a clear massage that the same fate will happen to erring officials. I hope our government authorities will be sincere in getting rid of these scalawags and not only do it for show – in other words – moro moro.

Hopefully, Bedol will not answer in “Budol Budol” when he will be placed on the witness stand. Anyway there are many good coaches from the Commission on Elections who could coach him on what he will say before hearing, that will make the poll body and their big bosses happy.
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Jueteng is on an upswing in Baguio City and nearby provinces and I can’t help but wonder why our authorities are again seemingly helpless in getting rid of this menace, or are there reasons why they can’t?

In Baguio, there are still many bet collectors or kubradors seen around collecting bet money openly in public places. There are also betting stations and our bettors know where to go like this two stations at Kayang St. just beside the loading station of passenger Jeepneys bound for Tacay Road in Quezon Hill.

Some have raised the question if this is really jueteng or bingo sa barangay since the numbers now consist of 38 from the usual 37. As far as my sources are concerned, this is bingoteng -- jueteng in disguise.

Is there truth that a member of the city council is behind the operation of jueteng in Baguio? If not, then this fat bellied councilor should have the balls to face the public and deny speculations.

Nevertheless we have still the young and energetic Baguio mayor Reynaldo Bautista and city police director Moises Guevarra who could go after these jueteng operators – if they really have the balls too.

This is now the chance for these two officials to prove they didn’t give the “blessing” or approval for the illegal gambling activity and are not on the take in connivance with other top officials. How about it your honors?
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Those video fruit machines or “kulalong” are still found in some at the bars and billiard joints in Baguio and it seems local authorities are not serious enough in going after the video operators (with the exception of Councilor Galo Weygan and his AVCTF who were able to catch and haul into custody several of these video machines from Barangay Irisan.)

Most high school and even elementary students skip their classes just to play “kulalong” and even commit petty crimes to raise money for this game. It’s a pity for those poor parents who work hard like carabaos just to send their children to school but later on find out their kids are not attending classes.

I wonder what kind of conscience operators and protectors of these video machines have, having seen children addicted to their machines and making these children lose track in the direction of a good future. Have these operators and protectors forgotten they have moral and social responsibilities especially to these young students? They should not wait for their own children to be also hooked on these modern day gambling bet video machines and feel sorry later.
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The appointment of former Baguio City Councilor Federico “Bong” Mandapat Jr. as new regional director of the Dept. of Transportation and Communications is a right move. It is a fair and square appointment. Mandapat replaced former regional director . Alfredo Mondiguing

I bet, that the new regional director who is a full-blooded Baguio boy will be much more efficient, effective and upright compared to all his predecessors combined.

Welcome to the world of transportation and communications sir. Please make your priority to wipe out these colorums and smoke belching vehicles from Baguio streets.