‘Jueteng’ still rampant in north Luzon, says Robredo

“Jueteng,” the popular but illegal numbers game, remains rampant in northern Luzon, according to Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo.

Robredo told Philippine National Police Director General Nicanor Bartolome that illegal gambling goes on in the provinces of La Union, Ilocos Sur and Pangasinan apparently under the protection of local government and police officials.

Robredo said some people are reportedly receiving bribes from jueteng operators in Ilocos region by falsely claiming to represent the Department of Interior and Local Government.

“I was informed in a report by (Senior Superintendent Francisco) Peñaflor that despite our efforts to arrest and file charges against jueteng collectors and other employees, jueteng still exists in Region 1,” Robredo wrote Bartolome on December 14, referring to the senior police assistant to the secretary and chairman of the National Police Commission.

“This is because some unscrupulous individuals are spreading word that the DILG is being given bribe money by local gambling lords in Region 1. [This is] the reason the operation of jueteng still exists there,” Robredo went on.

Bartolome assured the DILG chief that they would reactivate the Anti-Illegal Gambling Special Operation Task Force (AIG-SOTF).

The PNP chief also said he has reminded his officials that the “one-strike policy” was still in effect. The policy says that police officials in the field would be axed from their post if jueteng is found operating in their area.

Bartolome said they would not tolerate PNP personnel who are involved in illegal gambling.