E.O. 13 vs. Meridien’s jai-alai

THE decision of the provincial prosecutor’s office to dismiss the complaint filed by the Dagupan office of the National Bureau of Investigation against the operators of the Meridien Vista Gaming Corp. off-fronton outlet in Urbiztondo dealt a serious blow to the campaign of the Duterte administration to stamp out illegal gambling in Pangasinan.

The recent raid of the jai-alai off-fronton station in Urbiztondo by NBI agents could have been the trigger for both the PNP and NBI to finally put an end to the continued operation of the off-fronton jai-alai betting stations in the province since 2011.

From the very beginning, there were already serious doubts about jai-alai as a sports betting game since it was never popular in Pangasinan. Today, it has become a public knowledge that jai-alai betting is actually jai-teng (jai-alai fronting for jueteng).

Practically all mayors in the province liberally granted business permits to Meridien despite protestations from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and anti-gambling advocates in the province. Documents have shown that the franchise granted Meriden to operate jai-alai is limited to jurisdiction of Cagayan Economic Zone Authority but this fact was largely ignored by local governments to accommodate Meridien.

But now that President Duterte has issued E.O. No. 13, which made it clear that any operation outside of its franchise should not be allowed to operate, meaning, all the Meridien outlets in Pangasinan are covered by the order.

But the decision of the provincial prosecutor has effectively watered down if not countered the the mandate of E.O. No. 13.

Until the Meridien operations are stopped, Mr. Duterte’s national campaign against illegal gambling in the province will remain a sham.

Secret jail

SEN. Drilon is absolutely right: The police practice of maintaining secret jails is unconstitutional.  Gen. Oscar Albayalde is absolutely right:  He fired the police chief caught maintaining that secret jail within a prison in Tondo, Manila.  The secret jail, cramped like packed sardines by society’s supposed misfits to include suspected illegal drug users/pushers, was discovered last week by the CHR (Commission on Human Rights).  The CHR exposed the alleged maltreatment and torture of the secret jail inmates, who claimed that their police/captors were demanding money for their immediate release.  But Bato dela Rosa, the country’s top cop, gave his erring subaltern a mere kid glove treatment.  Very, very wrong.  He didn’t even commend Albayalde’s prompt action.  As for Drilon calling Bato as kanto boy, foul.  What’s wrong with being kanto boy?  That’s being elitist; anti-poor at the most. Drilon disgusts.

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