Congress probes loom over jueteng protectors

(Updated 11:34 p.m.) The two chambers of Congress are set to separately investigate a retired bishop's claim that some officials of the Aquino administration are receiving monthly payoffs from jueteng operators. In the Senate, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago on Monday filed a resolution seeking for an investigation on the reported resurgence of jueteng, a popular illegal numbers game, and its alleged protectors in government offices. Santiago filed Senate Resolution No. 167 after retired Lingayen Archbishop Oscar Cruz bared that officials in the Aquino government has been acting as either jueteng operators themselves or protectors of jueteng operators. In the House of Representatives, Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rofriguez and his brother Abante Mindanao party-list Rep. Maximo Rodriguez, and Ako Bicol party-list Reps. Christopher Co, Rodel Batocabe and Alfredo Garbin filed Resolutions 393 and 388, respectively, seeking an investigation on Cruz's allegations. The Rodriguez brothers said there is a need to immediately investigate the allegations to clear out the issues and for the names of those alleged to be benefiting financially from the illegal numbers game to be made public. The party-list representatives, on the other hand, said there is a need to uncover the truth not only to fight graft and corruption but to ensure that the revenues due to the government are properly accounted and remitted pursuant to the programs of the Aquino administration.
Investigations without reports A check with the House bills and index division showed that since the 13th Congress, no committee report or recommendation has been made despite the bills and resolutions filed and inquiries conducted by lawmakers on jueteng legalization or controversies involving the illegal numbers game. Santiago said jueteng could flourish only with the protection of government officials. “Jueteng cannot flourish in a province if it is not protected by corrupt government officials. It’s either certain officials are benefiting through bribes and pay-offs, or are purposely not doing anything to eradicate jueteng," the feisty lawmaker said. She also scored the Aquino administration’s challenge for Cruz, who heads the non-government organization Krusadang Bayan Laban sa Jueteng, to identify the officials involved in jueteng operations. Standard defense “[This is] a standard defense which is unacceptable because identifying jueteng operators is the task of the [Department of Interior and Local Government] and [Philippine National Police] chief," Santiago said. In a separate interview, Senator Sergio Osmeña III said it is “unfair" for Cruz to withhold the names of involved officials. “We’re always guessing. Let us stop playing those games. Come out with those names first. It’s also not fair for other people whom the President has appointed and who are not under a cloud," Osmeña said. He added the burden of proof is initially on Cruz, but said the Senate will not compel him to disclose information should it proceeds with the investigation. This was echoed by House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., who said Cruz would only be “sowing discord" if he would refuse to make public the names of the government officials who are receiving monthly jueteng payola. “Let’s find out first. He (Cruz) should come out and name [them]. He should talk. It is easy to bend, mention information that is anonymous. He should identify them publicly so that everybody will know who is he talking about," Belmonte told reporters. Legalize it For his part, Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who heads the Senate committee on local government, the panel that is likely to conduct the probe, said he is in favor of legalizing jueteng. “Sugal din yan. If we are resigned to the fact na magkaroon ng sugal, siguro institutionalize it already para naman pumupunta sa tao yung kita, hindi sa bulsa ng kung sinu-sino," Marcos said. (It's still gambling. If we are resigned to allowing gambling, perhaps we should already institutionalize jueteng so that the earnings go to the people and not just to some individuals.) The neophyte senator added the legalization of jueteng will be an “interesting discussion," citing previous attempts to legalize the numbers game. During his short-lived administration, former President Joseph Estrada proposed the legalization of jueteng. Incidentally, the game became instrumental in his downfall after he was accused of receiving millions worth of payoffs from it. Marcos disclosed that during his four terms as governor of Ilocos Norte, several individuals representing syndicates have offered to operate jueteng in his province, which he said he repeatedly turned down. - KBK, GMANews.TV