Local Government Secretary Ismael Sueno revealed during a Senate hearing on Tuesday he was offered a monthly payola from illegal gambling but rejected it.
“When I sat down as Secretary of DILG (Department of Interior and Local Government), may narinig ako na may butas na tatlo at saka ‘yung butas na tatlo, hinuhulugan talaga ito. I don’t know what amount. And one of the butas belongs to the Secretary, to the SILG,” Sueno told the Senate committees on games and amusement.
“But up to now I have not received any centavo although I was encouraged by several (people) to accept. (But) up to now, I have not accepted any,” he said.
Sueno said there had been reports though that he received the payola because someone was supposedly getting it for him.
“May kumukobra. I’m trying to find out kung sino yung kumukobra (Someone was reportedly collecting it on my behalf. I am trying to find out who is doing this),” he said.
“I have not received any centavo although may report na nag-receive ang SILG,” he further said.
Interviewed after the hearing, Sueno believes that the monthly share that was supposedly allotted for his office did not come from legitimate source. “I think these are lagay (bribes),” he said.
“Yang sa mga butas, galing yan sa mga illegal e,” the Secretary said, adding that he heard that the payola from Central Luzon and Metro Manila alone were P12 million and P4 million, respectively.
Sueno also disclosed that even before he assumed office, some people were already going to Mindanao and offering him a “monthly take” from illegal gambling.
“Oo marami, even before I sat down as SILG meron ng lumapit sa akin… nandun pa ako sa Mindanao, taga Luzon pumunta sa akin, hindi ko sila kilala,” he said, adding that he was told that those who had approached him were gambling operators.
(There have been many of them, even before I sat down as SILG, there were already people approaching me…I still in Mindanao then when people from Luzon whom I did not know would visit me.)
Sueno said the gambling operators did not say how much would be given to him.
“Hindi rin nila sinabi, basta malaki raw kung tatagapin ko. Takot ako (They did not specify how much but told me it was a big amount if I accepted it. I was scared),” Sueno added. IDL/rga
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