Bishop: After lying low, jueteng resumes in provinces

After lying low for a few weeks, the illegal but popular numbers game jueteng has reportedly resumed in at least three provinces in Luzon. Jueteng whistleblower, retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz said on Friday jueteng operations in these areas had stopped when the Senate started probing the issue last month. "May dalawa hanggang tatlong probinsya huminto bigla nang nag-umpisa ang hearing sa Senado, pero unti-unting bumalik," Cruz said in an interview on dzXL radio. (I know of two to three provinces where jueteng stopped when the Senate began its hearings on the matter. But jueteng operations in these areas have resumed.) Citing information disclosed to him by his sources, Cruz said these provinces allegedly include Pangasinan, Aurora and Pampanga. He said this is likely due because certain candidates in the October 25 barangay (village) and Sangguniang Kabataan (youth elections) needing jueteng funds for their campaign. "Ngayon nag-resume unti-unti (dahil) barangay election, at ang election, kailangan ng jueteng money," he said. (Jueteng operations resumed gradually especially because some candidates running in the October 25 election need money coming from jueteng.) The retired archbishop, who heads a nationwide crusade against gambling and jueteng, had testified before the Senate investigation on the illegal numbers game in September. He said some personalities connected to the Aquino administration, including Interior Undersecretary Rico Puno and former Philippine National Police chief Jesus Verzosa, had allegedly received payoffs from jueteng. Puno and Verzosa have both denied the allegations. Cruz said he is now waiting to be notified when he will testify before a similar investigation in the House of Representatives. "Sa Senado sinabi ng chairman, si Sen. Guingona, na tapos na ako. Sa Lower House wala pa sinasabi sa akin na ako hindi na papatawag. Kung ako papatawag naturalmente susunod ako, di ko kaya hindian, basta maganda ang pagsulat," he said. (Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman Teofisto Guingona III had told me they have no further questions to ask me. I am waiting for the House of Representatives to inform me if they will invite me to testify. If they do, I have no choice but to go.) – VVP, GMANews.TV