P’sinan execs crack down on ‘ameneng’

DAGUPAN CITY — The provincial government, the religious sector and other local officials have joined hands against the proliferation of ameneng, considered a poor man’s slot machine which is now becoming a popular pastime for Pangasinenses.

Antonio Villar Jr., former mayor of Sto. Tomas town and now undersecretary for local governance under the Office of the President, told The STAR that "ameneng is worse than jueteng" because it victimizes children.

Ameneng, also known as video karera or hataw, is operated near schools and patronized by school children.

A player drops a P1 coin and several coins come out once the bettor’s choice combination of fruits or horses wins.

When he was still mayor, Villar recalled that someone sent him about 400 machines to be operated in his town in exchange for a huge sum, but he refused.

"Pag jueteng, karamihan matatanda ang tumataya, pero sa hataw mga bata ang naloloko diyan (In jueteng, most of the bettors are old people, but in hataw, the children are the ones who get hooked on it)," he said.

As part of his job which covers the police, jail management and public order, among other concerns, Villar said he will act on the proliferation of ameneng.

For his part, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, a staunch anti-jueteng advocate, called the attention the other day of Superintendent Noli Taliño, provincial intelligence officer, whom Senior Superintendent Alan Purisima, provincial police director, has designated the action man in the campaign against video karera.

"Kawawa ang mga bata. Natututong mangupit ng pera ng kanilang magulang para may pantaya sa sugal na ito (I pity the children. They learn to pick the pockets of their parents just to have money to bet on this)," Cruz said.

He said he is hoping the local police will launch an honest-to-goodness campaign against this form of illegal gambling, otherwise, he will do something to catch the attention of higher officials to the problem.

"I have been receiving several complaints about hataw machines. I hope those who are on the take will find a better and decent means of livelihood," Cruz said.

Bayambang Mayor Leocadio de Vera Jr. said he, too, has been receiving complaints from parents and barangay officials about this.

He wanted the machines confiscated, but learned that some influential people are behind their operations.

Because of police inaction on the problem, De Vera wanted a new police chief for his town.

Gov. Victor Agbayani, through provincial administrator Virgilio Solis, sent a memorandum to Purisima last Nov. 30 to curb the spread of ameneng.

Purisima, in turn, ordered the local police chiefs to confiscate the machines. However, the police have yet to report whether their efforts have gained ground.

The STAR learned that Chief Inspector Napoleon Viray, Binalonan police chief, confiscated 30 machines last Friday.

Sources said machines with stickers allegedly owned by a high-ranking police official were spared from being seized by the police.

In some towns and cities, certain officials are reportedly behind the operations of ameneng, which became popular during the jueteng crackdown.