Tagudin mayor declares his town jueteng-free

TAGUDIN, Ilocos Sur—“Only the financers of jueteng gain from its operations,” so said Mayor Roque Versoza Jr., as he declared this town jueteng free.

This town will remain jueteng free, Versoza he added.

 “I have been pressured by operators and other politicians to give a green light for jueteng operations in my town, but I said no,” he said.

 If one wants to stop jueteng operations, it only takes political will, he added.

 Tagudin is the only town in the region that is jueteng free.

 Versoza, a multi awarded mayor is a member of Kaya Natin, a political group for good governance.

 The group is co-founded by the late interior and local government Sec. Jessie Robredo, who himself was a staunch advocate against the illegal games.

 According to Versoza, his office is now on the process of gathering the names of the bet collectors and will be priority with the government’s 4Ps program and other livelihood programs of the municipality.