The more-moro that is jueteng

BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- Jueteng may be out for now, but not for long, and I’m willing to take a bet on this, our perennially drunk neighborhood philosopher says. “President Duterte himself said it: “The government may allow jueteng operations in the country since it is the “lesser evil” compared to the illegal drug trade.’”

The President earlier said this after administering oath to newly elected local government officials and party-list representatives during a ceremony at the Malacañan Palace.

The President said the illegal drug trade might take over and flourish if the government clamps down on the illegal numbers racket.

Now, Philippine National Police chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde is singing the same tune: “The illegal numbers game “jueteng” may gain widespread patronage anew following the stalled operations of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office’s (PCSO) lottery and other games. “It is a possibility. We are not saying it will happen but it is a possibility na pag-usbong ulit ng illegal numbers gaming, particularly jueteng (Illegal numbers games may resurface),” Albayalde said in a press briefing at Camp Crame on Monday.

To this, our neighborhood philosopher quipped: Wasn’t jueteng there all along? Even Sen. Pnafilo Lacson said so on TV.

Albayalde said the PNP has also received intelligence information that “jueteng” operations are continuing in at least two provinces in Central Luzon.

Albayalde said he had issued the “one strike policy” to replace police commanders where jueteng operations are still in place.

In 2016, the PCSO said it would implement stricter rules and regulations for small town lottery operations to finally eliminate “jueteng.”

But what happened was STL became a front for jueteng operations, our philosopher insists.

It was during the Cory Administration that jueteng started to flourish, according to old-timers who said the godfather, somebody close to the then lady President, had a face that resembled a crescent moon.  You see, our philosopher says, the illegal numbers game continued up to the next administrations.

Jueteng stopped only last week when the PNP’s “one strike policy” was implemented. 

Our philosopher is saying jueteng would come back with a vengeance. See, he says, all that was needed for jueteng to stop was an order from the PNP chief.   But don’t expect the government to go after jueteng lords in the near future, he says   

Sen. Lacson himself on the matter: "When regular jueteng collections of at least P200 million a day or P73 billion a year in the National Capital Region, Cordillera Administrative Region and Regions 1 to 5 alone translate to a mere P4 billion income for the PCSO from Small Town Lottery (STL) operations, a big chunk of which is not even in cash remittances but recorded as collectibles, we do not need an Albert Einstein to figure out how much goes to the individual pockets of STL franchise holders, corrupt politicians, policemen and PCSO officials."

"No matter how many congressional hearings are conducted, the palms of these people continue to be greased by gambling money.

"The fact is, illegal jueteng merely masquerades as legitimate STL operations, seven days a week, without fail, whose "kubradors" are armed with PCSO IDs to avoid arrest by the police who may be co-opted anyways."

President Duterte ordered July 26 a halt to all gaming operations with franchises, licenses or permits granted by the PCSO, citing corruption but after four days, ordered lifting of some games like lotto but not STL.

Lacson on July 28 concurred with President Duterte's allegation that the PCSO is marred by massive corruption, forcing the chief executive to order all its gaming operations closed.

But this is water under the bridge as lotto has resumed and according to Malacanang, they have not yet found anomalies in PCSO operations.

Lacson said billions of pesos from the gaming proceeds go into the pockets of government, police, and PCSO officials. Same with jueteng, officials get payolas worth millions from the illegal gambling operations, according to sources.

Now the President on the matter: “May mga jueteng na activity…Maski sinong Presidente ilagay mo dito, for as long as the economy does not really provide food on the table for so many families, hayaan mo na lang ‘yan. At least ang pera doon [There are jueteng activities. Regardless who the President is, for as long as the economy does not provide really food on the table for so many families, you just let it be. At least the money is there],” he said earlier.

“Kasi hindi ko talaga rin kaya. At pagka sinira ko ‘yan, ang papalit sa apparatus niyan, droga. So choose between the lesser evil [Because I also cannot do it. And if I order the closure of jueteng, it will be replaced by the drug apparatus. So choose between the lesser evil],” he added.

Besides, Duterte admitted that he has no sufficient government force to implement a crackdown on jueteng operations. “I cannot order my police to go and make a sweeping campaign every day. I do not have that kind of force,” he said.

The President said networking of jueteng operations has been “successful,” unlike the controversial investment scheme of a religious group.

Last year, the President declared that the government must be prepared to provide alternative livelihood to the people if it moves to stop jueteng operations in the country.

He also expressed concern that dismantling jueteng operations might only worsen the narcotics trade in the country.

With this, expect jueteng to rear its ugly head in a few days and happy days will be back once again for the takers.

Stopping jueteng is actually easy, according to our neighborhood philosopher – all it needs is a call from government big shots for jueteng operators to stop operations.

Lacson’s take that it would be easier to stop jueteng if STL operations remain closed is the right move, according to our philosopher.

If jueteng suddenly stopped on July 27, why can’t it be stopped permanently? The answer is obvious, he says. “Why kill the goose that lays the golden egg? Call it moro-moro.” In Ilocano, “Ottot ti palikwawa.” Go figure.