Jueteng thriving in Cordillera provinces

BAGUIO CITY – Jueteng is still thriving in this city and Cordillera provinces Benguet, Abra, Kalinga and Bauko, a town of Mountain Province, sources said.

In Benguet, towns which were identified where jueteng was rampant were La Trinidad, Itogon, Tublay, Mankayan and Buguias.

In Mankayan, town police arrested last week Adoro B. Copis, 32, of Barangay Bedbed here while collecting jueteng bets.

Confiscated from him at barangay Guinaoang were were pieces of paper wherein number combinations were written and cash worth P175.

Copis was brought to local police station where charges for illegal gambling were prepared against him.

Sources said the extent of jueteng is such that even government officials are involved in the illegal numbers game as “protectors,” in exchange for money.

But officials like those from the Philippine National Police who have been alluded to, have denied being involved in the menace.

In the case of the PNP they cited arrests of kubradors (bet collectors) to attest to their drive against illegal gambling.

In Baguio, city police reported out of 33 operations last year, 143 persons were arrested, 31 cases were filed in court and cash bets amounting to P 20, 873 were confiscated from kubradors.

For this year from January up to present, city police conducted three anti-illegal gambling operations resulting to arrest of seven persons with three cases filed in court.

Cash bets confiscated totaled to P1,600. Latest arrests were done at Barangay Upper Rock Quarry where two jueteng bet collectors were arrested city police intelligence unit led by Chief Insp. NachorBaucas March 7.

Suspected bet collectors were identified as Joseph L. Bukat, 24 of Barangay City Camp Proper and John Michael Dela Cruz, 24 of Rock Quarry.

Confiscated from Bukat were cash bets amounting to P245 and hueteng paraphernalia while confiscated evidence from John Michael Dela Cruz were cash bets amounting to P270 and also jueteng paraphernalia.

A case for violation of Republic Act 9287 (illegal gambling) was set to be filed against the suspects and were released on “promise to appear” on order of inquest prosecutor Rolando T Vergara. -- AD