Anti-jueteng group throws full support behind DILG's Robredo

A Church-backed anti-jueteng group threw its full support on Monday behind new Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, mobilizing its units in the provinces to "help" him monitor jueteng and other forms of illegal gambling. Retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz said his Kilusang Bayan Laban sa Jueteng (KBLJ) will report gambling operations to Robredo, whom he credited for disallowing jueteng in his Naga City when he was its mayor. "Ngayon ang aming mga pinagtitibay ang aming regional members sapagka't mas buo kami ngayon. Ang regional members for monitoring para meron kaming feedback kung wala. Kung meron, magsusumbong kami kay 'Daddy' na may ganito, tingnan mo naman, just to check," Cruz said in an interview on dwIZ radio. (We are now mobilizing our regional members to monitor jueteng and gambling operations. If we see something we will report it to 'Daddy' and have him check it out.) He said he expects Robredo to go all-out against jueteng, especially since his boss, President Benigno Aquino III is a "straight" man. Besides, he said Robredo had been an awardee of KBLJ for keeping Naga City jueteng-free when he was its mayor. "Walang jueteng sa Naga ... Ngayon DILG siya, malaki ang pag-asa namin," he said. (There was no jueteng in Naga when he was its mayor. Now that he heads the DILG, we have high hopes for him.) As DILG secretary, Robredo will supervise local government units, along with the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, and Bureau of Fire Protection. Palace urged to take closer look against small town lottery Cruz also urged Robredo — and the Palace — to take a closer look at small-town lottery, which the Arroyo government had planned to replace jueteng. He said STL has become a cover of sorts for jueteng. "Minsan medyo ako nag-alma sinabi ng Malacañang na di nila pwede galawin ang STL, medyo tinamaan ako kaunti. Mag-aral kayo kaunti, sabagay bago pa. Ginagamit ang STL sa pag-cover ng jueteng, come on," he said. (I have lashed out at the Palace for claiming it cannot go after STL. It should take a closer look at STL because it is now a cover for jueteng.) - RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV