PNP steps up jueteng monitoring across Luzon

Elements of the Philippine National Police’s Anti-Illegal Gambling Special Operations Task Force (AIG-SOTF) is stepping up its monitoring of several provinces in Luzon amid reports that jueteng has resurfaced in certain areas.

This developed as three police officials in Nueva Vizcaya were relieved from their posts over their alleged failure to stop the illegal numbers game in the Cagayan Valley province.

Senior Superintendent Samuel Pagdilao Jr., PNP spokesman, identified the relieved police officials as Senior Superintendent Rogelio Damazo, acting provincial police director; Superintendent Agripino Lopez Jr., provincial intelligence officer; and Superintendent Dionisio de Guzman, police chief of Solano town.

"The 1-3-2 strike policy shall remain inviolable. And I expect all police commanders down the line to strictly follow the specific directive to intensify police operations against all forms of illegal gambling," said PNP chief Director General Oscar Calderon.

Under the policy, a town or city police chief is automatically relieved after one successful jueteng raid; a regional police director, after successful raids in three provinces under his jurisdiction; and a provincial police director, after jueteng raids in two towns.

According to Pagdilao, intelligence agents of the AIG-SOTF have been deployed to various provinces in the Ilocos and Bicol regions, Cagayan Valley, Cordillera, Central Luzon, and Southern Luzon to monitor and validate reports of jueteng resurgence in these areas.

Pagdilao said more than 40 unit commanders of the PNP have been relieved from their posts since the 1-3-2 strike policy was enforced.

"We are calling on all sectors to help as it is wrong to completely rely on the police to provide the ultimate solution that will permanently put an end to this age-old problem of jueteng," he said.

Earlier, the PNP sought the assistance of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office in identifying the legitimate franchise operators of small town lottery (STL) in the provinces.

The PNP said this would ferret out the legitimate STL operators from the jueteng syndicates, which are taking advantage of the popularity of the government-sanctioned lottery as cover for their illegal activities.

Pagdilao, however, cited reports reaching Camp Crame that in some cases, jueteng syndicates double as legitimate STL operators in certain areas.

Meanwhile, Damazo claimed that his relief was not over jueteng, but because of his desire to be nearer his children who are studying in Manila.

He said he also wanted to go on a 30-day vacation leave to visit a brother who faces some pressing problems in the United States. — With Charlie Lagasca