LINGAYEN – The illegal numbers game called jueteng again reared its ugly head in Pangasinan, defying one of its favorite sons, Police Director General Arturo Lomibao.

Gov. Victor Agbayani admitted during an interview in Alcala town that some towns may now be backsliding and have allowed the illegal numbers to resurrect in their own areas.

He said he will ask Police Provincial Director Alan Purisima to submit a list of town’s where jueteng has resurrected and will ask him to operate intensively against jueteng operators in these areas. 

Meanwhile, the provincial board has invited Purisima in its question hour last Friday but this did not materialize for still unknown reasons.

Jueteng operations are reportedly maintained in  San Carlos City, Calasiao and Sta. Barbara, and in Eastern Pangasinan, particularly Tayug, San Nicolas, San Quintin, Umingan and lately Sta. Maria.  

In one town in eastern Pangasinan, the jueteng draw is reportedly being done regularly at the residence of a bodyguard of a top official.

It was learned that the operators and collectors, “kabos” and other jueteng employees    displaced when jueteng grounded to a halt some months ago, are now the same people running the resurrected jueteng.

For his part, Vice Governor Oscar Lambino admitted that one of his close friends personally admitted to him to have placed jueteng bets in the town of Bayambang.

He said it is unfortunate that the illegal activity has comeback.

Lambino told newsmen that he remains supportive of the anti-jueteng campaign of top crusader Archbishop Oscar Cruz because of the need to eliminate corruption in government as jueteng breeds corruption.

“But if it is legal, like the Small Town Lottery, the good Archbishop must also see the plight of the people who had long been out of jobs who somehow must also earn a living,” he added.

Unlike Vice Gov. Lambino, Agbayani is opposed to the operations of STL even if it is sanctioned by the PCSO.

He rejected an application last year for a provincial franchise to operate STL. He was backed up by the provincial board led by Lambino.

But Agbayani said there must be a consistent policy on this as he heard that the municipalities and cities can operate STL even if it is not sanctioned by the province.

“So we have to monitor again and alert the PNP so that they can do their job again,” he said.  –LM  

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments