Despite PNP claim, jueteng persists in Isabela

ILAGAN, Isabela – Contrary to the claims of the Philippine National Police (PNP) that it has successfully lessened jueteng operations in the country, the illegal numbers game continues to thrive in this country’s third largest province despite the attempts of the provincial government to curb it.

According to reports, jueteng has now seeped into nearly all parts of the province, excluding the remote Pacific coastal towns, with its operations even being stepped up in the runup to the May elections.

No longer limited to the major towns, jueteng operators are reportedly raking in more than P15 million a day through decentralized draws per district thrice a day.

Sources close to the local jueteng operators said draws are being conducted daily in Santiago City for the fourth district, Cauayan City for the third district, Roxas town for the second district, or the so-called Mallig region; and this capital town for the first district.

A cobrador (bet collector) in Santiago City claimed that collections have been increasing by 100 percent as the elections draw near.

Some mayors led by Gamu Mayor Fernando Cumigad, however, denied the jueteng revival in the different towns.

Last week, Chief Superintendent Ameto Tolentino, Cagayan Valley police director, summoned the region’s five provincial police directors and other high-ranking police officials here to discuss the peace and order situation in the region, including the reported resurgence of jueteng operations, especially in Isabela.

Before his transfer to the Laoag diocese in Ilocos Norte earlier this year, Bishop Sergio Utleg accused some Isabela officials of playing blind to jueteng in their respective areas in an effort to generate funds for their reelection bids.

Gov. Grace Padaca’s repeated calls for a jueteng halt have apparently fallen on deaf ears despite the frequent changes in the provincial police leadership.

Some mayors, who asked not to be identified, accused Padaca of appearing clean when in fact her own brother has been allegedly receiving money from jueteng operators. Padaca earlier had denied this.