Palace denies resurgence of jueteng under Aquino

Malacañang on Tuesday branded as “unfair" the claim of retired Lingayen-Dagupan archbishop Oscar Cruz that the illegal numbers game jueteng flourished under the Aquino administration. In an interview with reporters, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said there is no basis for the Palace to agree with Cruz’s claim because the bishop’s information needs to be verified. "Wala kaming basehan para mag-agree sa kanya. Wala kaming 100 [days] pa sa administrasyon, napaka-unfair naman na ang paglago diumano ng jueteng ay dahil sa aming administrasyon," he said. (We have no basis to agree with him. This administration hasn't been here for 100 days so it seems very unfair to attribute the alleged proliferation of jueteng to the current administration.) During a hearing of the House committee on games and amusement Monday, Cruz, a longtime anti-jueteng advocate, said there was a resurgence of jueteng in the Aquino administration which only took over June 30. “The jueteng flourished in the present. There is resurgence. That is what we get from the ground," Cruz said in response to San Juan Rep. JV Ejercito’s question on whether jueteng has minimized or flourished. Cruz had earlier named two of President Benigno Aquino III's trusted personalities, Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Rico Puno and recently-retired national police chief Jesus Verzosa, as alleged jueteng payola recipients. Both denied the bishop's claim. Aquino has instructed Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo to come up with a comprehensive plan to stamp out the illegal numbers game. Aquino has also maintained that he is against the legalization of jueteng as he doesn't consider gambling a productive activity. Lacierda said Malacañang will continue to monitor the House investigation on the illegal numbers game. - Jam L. Sisante/KBK, GMANews.TV