WAR ON ILLEGAL GAMBLING

MALASIQUI—While the PNP leadership in Camp Crame has been heard to be cracking the whip to push the latest declared war on illegal gambling to a higher level, Pangasinan police still has little to show in accomplishments.

Responding to a barrage of questions from the local media during the KBP Forum last week, P/Superintendent Jackie Candelario, deputy police director for operations of the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office, admitted, “Sa maliit nag-uumpisa bago lumaki yan (It starts with small before it becomes big).”

Unlike the police’s enthusiastic response from day one of the war on drugs, local media noted that jueteng and off-fronton jai-alai bookings, and or ‘jai-teng’ – collection of jai-alai bets as front for jueteng – continue to operate in all towns and cities.

In explaining the slow police action against illegal gambling that focused so far on raids on drop ball, card games, sakla and other neighborhood gambling pastimes, Candelario appealed to the public’s understanding and to give the police more time to act fully on its new mission.

He pointed out that jai-alai off-fronton operations continue to be protected by a temporary restraining order (TRO) from the court.

He said they have attempted to arrest identified jai-alai bookies doubling as kubradore (jueteng bet collectors), but the teams were turned back by showing court order and local business permits to prove they are operating legally.

Jueteng and jai-alai betting are 1 to 37.

“Baka naman ma-kuryente kami,” he said, if the police act more aggressively against jai-alai.

When asked how long the TRO will remain in effect, Candelario said he has no full knowledge about the terms of the TRO as he echoed the warning that the crackdown against illegal gambling started last week. (Tita Roces)

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