BAGUIO CITY – Jueteng operations here and in most parts of northern Luzon are still on despite an order of Justice Sec. Leila De Lima to stop jai alai games which had been used by jueteng operators as pretext to solicit bets for the illegal numbers game.
In this summer capital, sources, who had been calling media outfits, said it was surprising some members of the city council like Edison Bilog have been saying there was no jueteng in Baguio but jai alai when number combinations were 1 to 37, which in essence is jueteng.
This, as majority of city councilors said no to the proposed loterya ng bayan of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes to stop jueteng despite knowledge any action from their assembly wouldn’t matter in so far as franchises to operate PCSO games of chance are concerned.
In 10-votes out of 14 during the council’s July 11 session, councilors placated fears expressed by local religious groups the local government has changed stand vis-à-vis operation of PCSO-led gaming in the city.
The vote was over a resolution authored by Bilog, bolstering the city’s anti-legal gambling position expressed in earlier resolutions numbered 122-2002 and 446-2008 – the anti-casino measures.
In favor of the Bilog proposal were councilors Perlita Chan-Rondez, Betty Lourdes Tabanda, Fred Bagbagen, Erdolfo Balajadia, Philian Weygan-Allan, Peter Fianza, Nicasio Palaganas, Joel Alangsab, and Karminn Yangot.
On the other hand, questioning the manner on how the council voted on the matter were councilors Elmer Datuin, Richard Carino, and Nicasio Aliping – members of the committee on laws whose study on the lottery was pending.
Bilog in the proposal said, “There are 16-gaming outlets franchised by PCSO for the lottery which is geared towards combating the illegal numbers game, jueteng; while 10-other applicants are being processed with deadline set on July 15.”
Allowing the operations, he said, might end up as a ‘front’ for jueteng and a “cash cow for corrupt officials.”
Meanwhile, Carino expressed doubt in the measure claiming its approval was “railroaded.”
In the same proposal he asked, “Why are you trying to pre-empt the report of the committee on laws?”
“Is this now a practice in the council to shortcut everything, or is it another way of protecting jueteng?”
Obviously peeved on the way swift voting on the matter transpired he said, “We are objecting operation of a legitimate government project but we are not denouncing the operation of jueteng in the city.”
Carino subsequently got other councilors to bring the alleged railroading of council rules before the council’s ethics committee. “I did not even know this was going to be included in the session.”
Vicar general of the Catholic Diocese of Baguio Fr. Andres Cosalan Jr. meantime said they attended the session after being informed by Bilog about the measure during an earlier meeting at the Bishop’s Residence.
In Sablan , Benguet, mayor Arthur Baldo said he had revoked the business permit of Meridien Vista Gaming Corp. which operates jai alai saying he didn’t know that bet solicitors of the firm has been getting wagers outside the town like in Baguio, the capital town of La Trinidad in Benguet and Itogon, also in the province.
In Pangasinan, the provincial police office announced Thursday that jai-alai operations in the province have been totally stopped, following the order issued by the Departments of Justice and the Interior and Local Government.
Supt. Geraldo Roxas, PPO director, said officials of MVGC have already stopped its operations since July 11.
Roxas said a monitoring of betting stations showed that MVGC staff have been on leave.
Roxas said that with 40 towns and cities in Pangasinan, off-fronton betting stations were established through business permits granted by town and city executives to MVGC.
He said that any violators will be arrested and charged in court.
Meanwhile, two “jueteng” collectors were arrested on Tuesday in Sison town who said they were collecting bets for a raffle in adjacent La Union.
The police, Roxas said, are now monitoring who operators of the guerilla-type of jueteng operations.
Last month, Supt. Romeo Caramat, the chief of police of Dagupan City, reported there were no illegal numbers games in the city. – With reports from Isagani S. Liporada and Jennelyn Mondejar
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