‘Jueteng lord’ throws big beach party in Subic

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — Some 300 jueteng cobradors (collectors) and cabos (operations managers) were reportedly hauled to a big, sumptuous party at a beach in Subic last Nov. 4, allegedly to kick off the resumption of the popular illegal numbers game in Central Luzon.

The organizer, known by his alias Ngongo, reportedly arrived on board a helicopter amid cheers of the cobradors and cabos.

"I have heard about the incident and we are looking into it," said Senior Superintendent Salvador Gutierrez, Pampanga police director, in whose jurisdiction Ngongo is reportedly based.

Gutierrez said Ngongo is Melchor Caliwan in real life who, he added, posted bail on an illegal gambling charge only last October, together with another alleged jueteng financier he identified as Otto Balboa.

Gutierrez said he is also looking into reports that Ngongo has even spread out his jueteng operations in this province to take advantage of the absence of suspected big-time gambling lord Bong Pineda who has remained in the United States supposedly for medical examination and hair transplant.

Cobradors interviewed by newsmen here said some 300 of them, including cabos, attended the beach party despite heavy rains brought by typhoon "Reming."

They said Ngongo arrived on board a white helicopter, although they could not say whether the aircraft belonged to him.

Ngongo reportedly owns a three-story building being built along the Olongapo-Gapan highway in this town. A billboard in front of the building identifying him as the owner was dismantled following the jueteng exposé of Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson.

Gutierrez confirmed reports that Ngongo has been sending representatives to the police chiefs of some Pampanga towns to negotiate the resumption of jueteng in their areas.

"I don’t know how much bribe money Ngongo was offering, but I have warned the local police chiefs against even associating with him," he said.

Gutierrez also confirmed reports that in towns which have remained flooded, jueteng draws are being held on bancas.

Gutierrez admitted that police operations against jueteng have been disrupted by recent typhoons "Reming" and "Seniang."

Since last January, he said the provincial police have conducted a total of 236 anti-jueteng operations, leading to the arrest of 289 people, mostly cobradors.

"We asked them who their financiers were and the name of Ngongo kept surfacing," he said.

The STAR contacted Chief Superintendent Roberto Calinisan, Central Luzon police director, who said he was yet unaware of recent developments in his region because he was holed up in a conference in Davao City.

While Ngongo is out on bail, Gutierrez said the courts have issued more arrest warrants against him. "I ask the courts to order his arrest every time cobradors identify him as their financier," he added.