Alleged jueteng lord seen as barangay winner

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — Thirty-year-old Melchor Caluag ran for city councilor in 2001 but lost. Now, he may get his luck as observers predicted yesterday his landslide win as chairman of vote-rich Barangay Dolores here.

Police, however, were closely monitoring the election in Dolores. The reason: Caluag, alias Ngongo, is suspected of operating jueteng, the illegal numbers game, in the province and other parts of Central Luzon.

"His victory will not deter us from arresting him if we find any solid evidence that will establish him as a jueteng operator," said Senior Superintendent Arturo Cacdac, provincial police director.

Cacdac alleged that Caluag might take advantage of his being a barangay chairman to perpetuate his alleged jueteng operations.

Reports said residents of Barangay Dolores were given free tricycle rides to and from the voting precincts.

Caluag had campaigned on the slogans "Boses ng masa (Voice of the masses)" and "Boses ning kayanakan (Voice of the youth)."

His rival, Oscar Quinto, had been chairman of Dolores for over a decade. — Ding Cervantes