Bacalzo reiterates ‘one-strike policy’: Jueteng going strong in northern Luzon

BAGUIO CITY – Philippine National Police chief Director General Raul Bacalzo reiterated his “one-strike policy” last week to stop jueteng.

But in this city and nearby Benguet towns like nearby La Trinidad, the illegal numbers game is ongoing as in other parts of Northern and Central Luzon.

The PNP policy stipulates that any police chief where jueteng is found in his area of responsibility would be relieved from his post.

In Baguio, sources said jueteng bet collectors known as kubradores have intensified operations with their base in La Trinidad.

When questioned, by authorities, they reportedly answer their operations are legal since they are basing winning numbers from Jai Alai, a legal numbers game based at the Special Economic Zone in Cagayan.

But according to concerned residents who tried betting to find out the real score, the games in Baguio and Benguet are actually jueteng since the numbers which could be wagered on range from one to 37.

Following this, police and municipal officials told Meridien Vista Corp., which releases “results” of the Jai Alai games to stop operations as the permit of the gaming company was not renewed in La Trinidad.

Police chief Richard Albon and personnel of the La Trinidad legal office informed Meridien staff Wednesday to stop operations.

But despite this, Meriden continued to operate reasoning that renewal of their business permit was “on process.”

Provincial police chief Wilben Mayor told the media they will wait for orders from La Trinidad Mayor Greg Abalos on their next move.

Abalos was quoted as saying on radio he will observe developments first before his next move even as anti-gambling advocates of the town like elders urged the closure of wagering stations and arrest of bet collectors.

In Baguio, religious and cause-oriented groups here earlier picketed City Hall last month demanding a stop to illegal gambling which also included Monte, Pusoy and Lucky Nine.

Some city officials and lawyers have been tagged as frequent players of illegal gambling games in dens a few meters from City Hall like those along Palma and Legarda streets.

Anti-gambling groups urged government officials and the police to be more vigilant in stopping illegal gambling saying it “erodes the moral fiber of society.”

This, as Bacalzo in a television interview said he would exert more effort to stop jueteng through the “one strike policy.”

But he told the House committee on good government the PNP does not possess any evidence against suspected jueteng lords like Rodolfo “Bong” Pineda of Lubao, Pampanga.

“We have verified the list of suspected jueteng lords and alleged recipients of jueteng payola, but we found no evidence against them,” Bacalzo told the House committee.

Retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz has submitted the list to both the Senate and the House.

Heading the list of suspected illegal gambling lords is Pineda, while the alleged jueteng payola recipients include former PNP chief Jesus Versoza and Local Government Undersecretary Rico Puno.

President Aquino has designated Puno as directly in charge of the PNP instead of Puno’s boss at the local government department, Secretary Jesse Robredo.

He said police forces have been busting illegal gambling operations and arresting people involved but have failed to pin down financiers and the big names behind such activities.

He said those taken in always refused to talk about the jueteng lords.

Puno denied he received jueteng money, though he admitted that Pineda once tried to arrange an appointment with him.

Isabela Rep. Napoleon Dy, who is on Cruz’s list of jueteng operators, denied he’s into illegal gambling.

“The one who is into gambling in Isabela is a locator at the Cagayan special economic zone,” he said.

“We have to accept your denials, that’s the end of the story,” Cruz told Puno and Dy.

Bacalzo also told congressmen that the existence of STL (small town lottery) in many towns and cities has made the job of the police in stopping jueteng more difficult.

“We don’t know anymore which is legal and which is illegal,” he said.

He said in some areas where the police officers are convinced that there is jueteng and they try to stop it by arresting those involved, “our people end up being sued by the financiers who claim they are STL operators.”

STL is a project of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO). Many of its STL franchisees are suspected jueteng lords. One of them is Pineda.