Nueva Vizcaya bishop denies taking bribes from gambling operators

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines  – Bayombong Bishop Ramon Villena again vehemently denied allegations that he accepted bribes from gambling operators in exchange for taking a softer stance on the issue.

“Those who accuse me of accepting bribes from these illegal games, I tell you, nothing will stop me (in) my opposition (to) these games. No one can bribe me to stop talking against these games,” Villena said in a statement e-mailed to The STAR Friday.

He was reacting to allegations that his silence and softer stance on gambling came about after he allegedly accepted money from operators of jueteng and other illegal gambling activities.

Villena specifically denied receiving money from the controversial Spanish-owned Meridien Vista Gaming Corp., which operates a provincial board-sanctioned “virtual gaming” operation here as well in other parts of the region.

He called on the police here, led by Senior Superintendent Pedro Danguilan, to do something against illegal gambling “before I seek the action of higher authorities.”

Police appeared to be taking action against Meridien’s operations when the Camp Crame-based Task Force Maverick and the local Criminal Investigation and Detection Group arrested 59 of the company’s bet collectors last Aug. 9.

The Meridien employees, however, were released after posting P12,000 bail each the following day.

Meridien questioned the legality of the raid on its offices in Solano, Bambang and this town, saying its operations are legal and aboveboard.

Meridien’s legal status has been put under a cloud of doubt after the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) withdrew the permit it issued to the firm as a cooperator in the economic zone for alleged contract violations. However, Meridien obtained a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction from an Aparri, Cagayan regional trial court.

“We have the papers, and our case with CEZA is still under temporary restraining order, meaning the status quo stands. Our operations are deemed to be legal until such time that the court declares it otherwise,” said Meridien legal counsel Rolando Taganas.

The local Church and other anti-gambling critics alleged that those behind the Meridien operations were only using the Spanish firm as their legal cover for their continued jueteng operation.