LINGAYEN – After slamming the door on Small Town Lottery, Gov. Victor Agbayani renewed his call on the police provincial office to intensify its campaign against illegal gambling, particularly “jueteng”.

The governor directed Provincial Director Sr. Supt. Alan Purisima to stop jueteng operations in the province after receiving reports that the illegal numbers game has been revived in some towns.

“I’m told that there are areas that are backsliding, so we have to re-double our efforts in order to preserve the gains that we had achieved so far (against jueteng”), Agbayani said.

For several weeks, jueteng has grounded to a halt in the province where the country’s number one anti-jueteng crusader. Archbishop Oscar Cruz of the Lingayen-Dagupan archdiocese is based.

Observers believe the resurgence of jueteng in the province is largely due to the approaching election. Jueteng has been traditionally regarded as the major source of politicians’ campaign fund.

Agbayani reiterated his support to the crusade of Archbishop Cruz who chairs the Krusada ng Bayan Laban sa Sugal.

Archbishop Cruz praised the governor for his latest stand against STL.

“I pray that God will continue to guide him in his integrity and courage. I pray that God will continue to guide him and that people of goodwill will appreciate more his job performance,” Cruz said.

The governor said while the authorities managed to stop jueteng in the province for a few months, we have to continue monitoring reports of backsliding in some areas.

In reiterating his stand against illegal gambling, Agbayani pointed out that the bettors stand to lose in the end while the operators are getting richer.

In the provincial board, Vice Gov. Oscar Lambino said they will no longer conduct committee hearings on the applications for endorsement filed by at least three prospective STL operators.

“The agreement among members of the provincial board is not to indorse any if the governor does not approve,” Lambino said.

The governor has called for a consistent policy on gambling on a nationwide scale to avoid confusion among the people citing other forms of gambling that are either legal or illegal.

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