Jueteng and the PNP

BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon

How serious is the Philippine National Police in in stopping jueteng, the favorite game of the “masa” and the shady characters of this Banana Republic?

Sources say the illegal numbers game is still up and about in areas like northern Luzon and hearing police chiefs make a lot of excuses on why they can’t stop the game is always entertaining, according to bubwits. 

           

You see, one says, these characters can really come up with the most innovative reasons to justify their existence while they live in a world of make believe as they become more comfortable with their upgraded lifestyles to include additional houses, fancy cars or mistresses.

           

In Central Luzon for example, he adds, the claim of police authorities that Central Luzon is jueteng-free has gotten the goat of former Pampanga governor Ed Panlilio.

Panlilio, who is again seeking the Pampanga gubernatorial post next year, has said increased collection from small town lottery (STL) operations in the region is not a guarantee that the illegal numbers game is dead.

Panlilio told journalists it is an “insult” for regional police authorities to say that jueteng no longer exists in Central Luzon.“It seems that only the men in uniform do not know that there is jueteng, especially in Pampanga,” he said. He showed journalists two pieces of paper showing proof that he himself was able to place bets on jueteng last Oct. 23.

There have been suspicions that the priest-turned-politician was the “mystery shopper” cited by Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas in an earlier meeting with regional officials at the Clark Freeport.

In that meeting, Roxas asked police officials in Central Luzon led by Chief Supt. Edgardo Ladao to immediately submit a report on alleged jueteng operations in the region.qqLast week, Ladao called for a press conference at Camp Olivas in San Fernando, Pampanga and announced that Central Luzon is jueteng-free.

He was joined by lawyer Ferdinand Rojas of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and STL franchisees in Central Luzon. Ladao said STL collections in the region have increased, showing proof that there are no more jueteng operations in the region.

But he admitted that there are “bookies” who engage in “pocket” operations which he said police units in the region’s seven provinces are seeking to eradicate.Pampanga Gov. Lilia Pineda of course, declined to comment on supposed jueteng operations in her province.

In the Ilocos Region, a chief of police was sacked from his post as the Ilocos police regional office upped its drive against illegal gambling, according to a report by MydzSupnad. 

Supnad quoted Chief Supt. Franklin Bucayu, regional police director as saying the relief of the chief of police came after a joint personnel of Regional Anti-Illegal Gambling Task Force and Ilocos Sur Police Provincial Office conducted anti-illegal gambling operation at Paratong, Sta Cruz, Ilocos Sur that resulted to the apprehension of Marvin AbanGalinga, 35 of Paratong and Jerry Abella Mariano, of Barangay Villa Garcia of same municipality.

Confiscated from their possessions were several cash money, papelitos, cell phones and other items used as jueteng paraphernalias.  The subject persons were reportedly arrested by the operating police team while in the act of collecting jueteng bets at above mentioned places.

The arrested persons were presented to the Office of Provincial Prosecutor for inquest and were docketed under I.S. number I-03-INQ-12K-00124 against Galinga and I.S. number I-03-INQ-12K-00125 against Mariano for violation of RA 9287 or otherwise known as revised Anti-Illegal Gambling Law.

Bucayu said that as a consequence, Chief Insp. Faustino C. Bandao was immediately relieved in compliance with the “one strike policy” of the PNP in anti-illegal gambling campaign.

 “Police commanders are held responsible in their area of responsibilities so they must make moves to eradicate all forms of illegal gambling particularly jueteng.” Bucayu added. 

He said the Ilocos regional police office has upped its drive against jueteng following a directive from the PNP national headquarters for regional and provincial police chiefs to revitalize campaign against illegal gambling like jueteng.

In the case of the Ilocos, Cordillera and Cagayan Valley Region, according to a lot of bubwits, it is not a paradox anymore why jueteng and other forms of illegal gambling still thrive despite the “one strike policy” of the PNP.

Just ask your friendly neighbourhood kubrador, he says.