Dad hits proliferation of illegal gambling in Dagupan
MAYOR LIM DARED TO ACT
ILLEGAL gambling is once again thriving in Dagupan City.
This was revealed by Councilor Luis Samson Jr., chairman of the Sangguniang Panlungsod committee on peace and order and police matters, in a privilege speech before the city council on August 2.
The three-termer councilor said the resurgence of the illegal numbers game, backed by big-time operators, is evidenced by the presence of ‘hataw’ machines, ‘drop-ball’ tables and cabos and cobradores in the streets.
“Word on the streets point to shady characters as alleged maintainers, financiers and sponsors of these illegal activities,” Samson said.
When reached for his reaction, City Mayor Benjamin Lim merely said “Wala akong sama ng loob… he was just telling probably the truth.” (See related story).
In his speech, Samson cited a report indicating that the highly organized jueteng operations in the city is headed by one barangay chairman and one of the current city councilors allegedly “provides cover of protection for these activities to thrive”.
Samson also tagged a Chinese businessman and a certain “small boy” as the new financiers of jueteng in the city, and that a former barangay councilman “now heads the powerful money train allegedly fueled by the illegal hataw machines”.
He also noted that collection of bets for jueteng is now done with impunity in broad daylight.
The councilor challenged to the Mayor Lim to stop illegal gambling activities, a task he said that could be achieved easily if he wants to.
Samson cited the successful efforts of former Ilocos Norte Governor (now congressman) Rodolfo Fariñas, Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn, former Naga City Mayor (now Interior and Local Government Secretary) Jesse Robredo and Alaminos City Mayor Nani Braganza as proofs that all illegal gambling, including jueteng, can be stopped with mere political will.
“Why can’t Dagupan (do it)?” Samson asked.
“What, then, happens to Mayor Benjie Lims’s declaration of cleaning up the city? Where is the moral ascendancy?” the councilor chided the city mayor.
Samson noted “that the little man on the street obviously knows and sees jueteng, hataw and drop ball operations are literally thriving in the city.
He called on Mayor Lim and the city police to make the fight against illegal gambling their top priority, and demonstrate a “determined effort to coordinate an unyielding, uncompromising combat against all forms of illegal gambling in the city.”
He expressed lament that a column item that appeared that in The PUNCH falsely indicted members of the city council as beneficiaries of the thriving illegal gambling in the city.
After his speech, Samson declined to be interpolated by his colleagues in the council.—LM
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