Bishop links moves to oust Robredo to jueteng

Exploiting the August 23 hostage tragedy that left eight Hong Kong tourists dead, jueteng protectors are joining moves to oust acting Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jesse Robredo, a retired Catholic archbishop said. Retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, a known anti-gambling crusader, said some of these jueteng protectors even hold key posts in the Aquino government. He earlier said that two Aquino appointees have been receiving at least P2 million a month from jueteng operators. "Robredo is known as an anti-jueteng advocate. If Robredo will be replaced (as DILG chief), then it's a victory for jueteng," Cruz said in an article on the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) news site. While Cruz did not name names, he hinted one of those working for Robredo's ouster had expressed support for the legalization of jueteng, a popular illegal numbers game. He said he is certain jueteng is playing a major role in the mounting clamor for Robredo to be ousted from the Aquino administration. While many officials condemn jueteng, few are like Robredo who have actually campaigned to stamp it out. Local officials often get a cut from the huge profits from the underground lottery. Rather than abolishing jueteng, some politicians have openly called for its legalization, among them former President Joseph Estrada who calls the government's tolerance for casinos and other big-time gambling, and rejection of jueteng, as class discrimination against the poor. Bets in jueteng are as small as five pesos. Clergymen have been criticized for accepting donations from Pagcor, the government corporation running the casinos, while crusading against jueteng. Jueteng is a 'political monster' Cruz noted that one of President Benigno Aquino III's relatives, former Tarlac Rep. Jose "Peping" Cojuangco Jr., has been openly supporting the legalization of jueteng. "That's not a secret," he said.

Asked whether he believes that Aquino is already being asked secretly to oust Robredo, Cruz said yes. “Palagay ko matagal na. Nahirapan nga siya ilagay si Robredo diyan. He was one of the latest appointed. May problema pala kasi (I think this has been going on for quite some time. He was hard-pressed to place Robredo in the DILG post. Robredo was one of the latest to be appointed. It turned out there were problems behind that appointment)," said Cruz. Malacañang has said that the name of Robredo, three-term mayor of Naga City and a Ramon Magsaysay awardee for public service, is not included on the list of appointees that will be submitted to Congress for confirmation. Aquino had earlier admitted having "differences in style" with Robredo. Robredo has been criticized for the police's mishandling of the August 23 hostage crisis. The DILG is the government agency that oversees the functions of the Philippine National Police (PNP). Cruz also lamented the continued jueteng operations in the country, adding that the illegal numbers game has become a “political monster" under the control of governors, mayors and even barangay captains. “Formerly it was just unethical activity or illegal… it has acquired a new dimension. Metamorphosis for the worse of the social picture of the country," he said. In Malacañang, Presidential Communication Operations Office head Herminio Coloma on Sunday assured the public that there would be no sacred cows in the Aquino government’s fight against jueteng. “Kung may ebidensya kahit gaano kaliit ay titingnan ng Pangulo, sinuman ang matukoy kung may katibayan ay papanagutin sila. Iyan ang malinaw na sinabi at nilahad ng ating Pangulo," Coloma said in an interview by Radyo ng Bayan. (No matter how small the evidence is against any officials, President Benigno Aquino III will look into it. Those guilty will be dealt with accordingly. The President is clear about that.) Coloma added that the Aquino government will not tolerate any wrongdoing regardless of who is involved. - KBK/HS, GMANews.TV