"Bakit ba napuputok ang butse ng mga anak ng huweteng na mga 'yan?"
Pusong Pinoye2
WHAT IS WRONG ABOUT LEGALIZING JUETENG?
Rep. Prospero Pichay exploded and exposed a "secret meeting" held among the
"jueteng lords", the PCSO incumbent Chairman and Executive Secretary Ronnie
Zamora and a few generals.to discuss the idea of "legalizing jueteng". Pichay
who was also present in the "secret meeting" was flabbergasted and completely
beside himself. He moralized that jueteng is illegal gambling. He further
maintained that jueteng should not be legalized. (Some of his arguments were
enunciated in a news release, a true copy of which follows Adrian Cristobal's
editorial opinion on the same meeting to legalize jueteng.)
Both sides of the issue (for legalization and against legalization) are
superficially presented here. The question is not which is the absolute truth,
or which is the outright lie? For within this spectrum lies which makes more
real and truthful sense. Which has more social justification?
This is an issue that will continue to pre-occupy the minds and legislative
times of our elected public officials who also see their jobs as "moralists
and social scientists".
Likewise, those involved in welfare and emergency assistance to the indigents -
(the modern day Robin Hoods)- will continue to pursue the legalization of
jueteng, finding its justification in the overwhelming pecuniary and material
benefits, that theoretically, will redound to the benefit of the great mass of
poor people.
Meanwhile, the public will watch at the sidelines. Some reports are to be
chewed. Others to be digested. And still others are to be read and forgotten.
I have not taken a definitive position on the issue "Should Jueteng be
legalized or not?". Have you?
PusongPinoye2
===========================================================
April 09, 2000-
SUNDAY BRUNCH
By Adrian E. Cristobal
Benevolent assimilation
If you can’t lick ‘em, join ‘em.—American saying
Rep. Prospero Pichay believes he has scored on the Administration by raking up
that old meeting between Executive Secretary Manuel Zamora and so-called
jueteng lords, but the real motive behind it may not be what he wanted the
public to believe.
True, PCSO chair Rosario Lopez disclosed that Mr. Zamora presided over the
meeting (for 10 or 15 minutes), which Mr. Pichay considers odd. But to be fair
about it, a meeting must always have a presiding officer, and since the
executive secretary was the most senior of the group, it was only natural that
he should be it.
Unfortunately, the executive secretary seemed to have fallen into Mr.
Pichay’s net by saying later that he was at the wrong place at the wrong
time, when, in fact, Ms. Lopez had invited him to the meeting.
Let’s put the matter in the proper perspective. In the first place, why call
Messrs. Bong Pineda, Benito Singson, Romy Lahara, Armand Sanchez, Romy
Pamatmat, Joe Lazaro, Ed Decaro, Tony Santos, and Ms. Charing Magbuhos,
jueteng “lords”? (in Ms. Magbuhos’ case, would it be “lordess”?)
If jueteng is an illegal activity, naming these people as jueteng lords would
make them outlaws. But they are not in jail, they have not been convicted
except in media. In other words, there’s no legal connection between their
lordships and jueteng.
In short, there’s nothing wrong about Mr. Zamora meeting with them. As a
public official, he’s under oath not to discriminate against any citizen.
Besides, there were also selected PNP officers in the meeting. If they were,
in fact, outlaws, the police officers would have arrested them. Instead they
were amicably confabulating.
But what’s confusing is that the officials met with the lords and lady about
Small Time Lottery (STL), and according to Ms. Lopez, the government needed
their expertise. This gives the impression that the so-called jueteng lords
were indeed involved in the illegal activity, but it doesn’t logically
follow. Not all lotteries are illegal, as we know. They are all over the
world. In fact I regularly get solicited by outfits from the US, Canada, and
Australia.
As a certain professor pointed out, even Rizal won in a lottery, and it is to
his winnings that Dapitan owes its tourist-patriotic site. It may also be
pointed out that Andres Bonifacio’s Katipunan owed its printing press to the
lottery winnings of two workers from Aklan; the press immediately increased
Katipunan membership to 300,000 three months after the publication of Kalayaan.
Lottery has a place in our revolutionary history. But perhaps even in our
colonial history, for jueteng was tolerated, I imagine, by the Spanish colonial
authorities. One can surmise that even the friars benefited from jueteng, as
the present church does, for where do you think religious and community
contributions come from?
In this light, the congressman from Surigao del Sur is historically
misinformed, or at least, unappreciative of his country’s history. He has
waged a slur campaign against an activity that has more history than our
ancestry. (We can’t even say with any amount of certainty that the
ilustrado-propagandists’ exile in Europe was not partly financed by jueteng.)
President Estrada, fortunately, gave a better defense of his executive
secretary than the man gave himself. Imbued with historical sense, the
President revealed that he was mulling over legalizing jueteng—which means,
of course, that it is illegal. Not a few politicians and civic-minded people
have been pushing for legalization, as this means more income for local
governments.
Other officials are against legalization on the ground that it would sap the
moral energy of the people. But the charge against some of them is that
legalization would prejudice their “economy,” since what is illegal in
these parts is a fountain in pecuniary benefits. Naturally, legalization of
jueteng would transfer some of the benefits to local government, making the
struggle for power more focused, since winning elections will not depend on
winning over the so-called jueteng lords.
Winning over sounds bad. But again history will bear this out. The Americans
asked the help of Lucky Luciano, then in jail, in the invasion of Italy in
World War II. The Mafia had a role in fighting the fascists.
Now, in our war on poverty and crime, there is nothing wrong in enlisting the
assistance of those who are good at it. As pointed out later, there is no
legal connection between them and the fact that jueteng thrives. That is to
say, congressional inquiries have not come up with anything that could stand up
in court.
The ready term for the government’s thrust also derives from history.
McKinley called the occupation of the Philippines “benevolent
assimilation.”
Mr. Zamora should have used it to describe his role as the presiding officer of
the assimilation of jueteng lords into society, although it seems it’s
society that has been assimilated into them.¨
THE MANILA TIMES
CONTACT US mail to: w...@manilatimes.net ; news...@manilatimes.net
===========================================================
THE OTHER SIDE
Solons decry Zamora meeting with gambling lords
PASAY CITY (ABS-CBN) - Administration and opposition members of the Lower House
are one in condemning Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora, for presiding over a
meeting with gambling lords, calling the move "very disturbing."
"This is a classic case of what is wrong with the administration," Bohol solon
and LAMP member Ernesto Herrera said.
"Palace officials seem to have a cavalier attitude toward what may be perceived
as morally responsible. Zamora very well knows that the people he was meeting
are widely recognized as jueteng lords. The prudent thing to do was excuse
himself from the meeting and not preside over it," Herrera advised Zamora.
Earlier this week, Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay disclosed that Zamora
presided over a meeting with PNP officials and big-time jueteng operators.
The meeting was reportedly held to fast-track the legalization of jueteng by
May or June this year.
A day after, Zamora only shrugged it off saying that there was nothing wrong in
meeting with people who have not yet been convicted of any crime.
That statement provoked a barrage of criticisms from Congress.
"If the idea is to make illegal activities legal so as to mine them of
potential funds for national and civic projects, then the Palace might as well
call for the legalization of drug trafficking and white slavery, because these
'industries' rake in million in profits every year, and the government also has
not been able to eradicate them," Herrera angrily stated.
He added that Zamora's meeting with the gambling lords also sends the signal
that gambling lords are now in good favor with the Palace, since no less than
the right-hand man of the President met with the kingpins of jueteng.
Another LAMP solon Roilo Golez echoed Herrera's statement saying that he finds
"it very disturbing."
"It was presumptuous for those who attended the meeting to think that they were
supposed to prepare for the eventual legalization of jueteng," Golez said.
There is currently a measure still pending at the committee level which seeks
legalization of numbers game, including jueteng.
Golez, chair of the House committee on public order and security, also
announced that his committee will take over the aborted investigation of the
good government, games and amusement panels on the alleged plan of the
Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office to operate small-time lottery (STL).
This after the probe initiated by the good government committee ended Tuesday
with its first and final hearing.
The Parañaque solon even took the case further by suggesting that his
committee will also conduct a probe on the supposed high-powered meeting
through the motu propio power of his panel that allows it to start
investigation even without formal requests or referrals for such from third
parties.
Not to be outdone, members of the opposition also launched their own attack.
Senior Minority leader Sergio Apostol (Lakas, Leyte) who was the first to
expose the clandestine assembly in a privilege speech said Palace hands may be
the unseen force that drove Zamora to go to the meeting.
"The fact that Zamora himself presided over the meeting shows that the
administration is driving this initiative," Apostol said.
"I am alarmed by President Estrada's statement. He is suggesting that the
social fund is a justification for the flood of gambling in the country today,"
Apostol added.
Apostol also vowed to block the bill legalizing jueteng. He further said that
they will also do their "utmost" to stop the PCSO from implementing the STL
without congressional authority.
Rep. Michael Defensor (Quezon City) also said the civilian officials and the
police generals who met with gambling lords violated the law they had sworn to
uphold when these attended the meeting.
"They allowed the jueteng kings to move around scot-free and continue with
their business inspite their admission that they are running an outlawed game,"
Defensor said.
===========================================================
Mike Defensor is the young Congressman who has been involved in "protecting
some women who have been charged with prostitution". Defensor is still facing
charges to explain why he threatened the police officers (with use of higher
administrative influence peddling and power) who picked up and booked the
suspected prostitutes.
Pusong Pinoye2
===========================================================
Just JT
news:20000409192009...@ng-cm1.aol.com...
>
> WHAT IS WRONG ABOUT LEGALIZING JUETENG?
I think points against jueteng are as follows:
1. The picking of numbers is done behind closed doors which means the
process is subject to cheating.
2. Jueteng targets the poor which in fact cannot afford to gamble.
3. PI government discourages privatised gambling dens because it would
rather hold the gambling itself. It would rather that it rake the revenues
itself.
--
Talk to me at
Johnn...@Hotmail.Com
Pusong Pinoye2
>huweteng na mga 'yan?")
>From: "Just JT" Johnn...@Hotmail.Com
>Date: 4/9/00 7:59 PM Pacific Daylight Time
>Message-id: <8crg2h$52a$1...@metro.ucc.usyd.edu.au>
>
>Pusong Pinoye2 <pusong...@aol.com> wrote in message
>news:20000409192009...@ng-cm1.aol.com...
>>
>> WHAT IS WRONG ABOUT LEGALIZING JUETENG?
>------------
>I think points against jueteng are as follows:
>
>1. The picking of numbers is done behind closed doors which means the
>process is subject to cheating.
Once it is legalized, there will be no need to do the games behind closed door.
>2. Jueteng targets the poor which in fact cannot afford to gamble.
On the other hand,illegal jueteng has survived the test of time. Jueteng is
the only form of gambling that the poor can afford...this is the only chance
they can make some relatively "big money"
>
>3. PI government discourages privatised gambling dens because it would
>rather hold the gambling itself. It would rather that it rake the revenues
>itself.
>Talk to me at
>Johnn...@Hotmail.Com
The idea behind legalization of jueteng is precisely so that "private illegal
games" will be discouraged, if not ultimately and eventually wiped out.
The objective of legalization of Jueteng is to increase the tax revenues of the
government. This is the main reason jueteng as it is practiced now is
considered illegal...no way to charge the taxes.
Pusongpinoye2
Pusong Pinoye2
>huweteng na mga 'yan?")
>Date: 4/14/00 10:56 PM Pacific Daylight Time
>Message-id: <20000415015632...@ng-fk1.aol.com>
Subj: NEAL CRUZ ON JUETENG, AGAIN.
Date: 4/12/00 9:42:43 PM Pacific Daylight Time
From: Pusong Makulit
To: Pusong Pinoye2
Pare, eto na ang friend mo, humihirit na naman tungkol sa jueteng.
Pati ang dibersiyon ng mga mahihirap pina-kiki-alaman, anak ng huweteng talaga
ang ibang tao.
Sa iyo na ang idol mo, 'adre. Basang basa ko ang agenda nito.
Pisong saklang o kaya dalawang pisong tumbok ...lang ang pustahan dito...
Piso manalo ng PHP900. Kung rapmahi ka pare ko, dehins masama ito. Madaming
spam na mabibili dito. Eh kung matalo, eh di bawasan ang galunggong...
Ganoon lang iyon...Dothin talaga lahat ng mga mayayaman. Sila pakasino-casino
pa. Pinupuri pa ng mga diyaryo.
Kaming papiso-piso lang ang tayang saklang or tumbok...pineperder pa ng mga
alagad ng mga hudas.
Diyan na nga kayo. Huwag ninyong pakialaman ang hanapbuhay ng mga kamaganak
kong mahihirap....syenawa.
Pusong Makulit
COPY OF ARTICLE BY NEAL H. CRUZ:
===============================
OMBUDSMAN Aniano Desierto, already in trouble for allegedly allowing his
relatives to influence the outcome of graft investigations and for allegedly
''resolving some cases based on financial considerations,'' according to his
accuser, Arturo Mojica, deputy ombudsman for the Visayas, will be in more
trouble if he does not investigate and file charges for dereliction of duty
against four police generals and other officers of lesser rank for not
arresting nine alleged jueteng lords with whom they were already face to face
in a meeting last February. Desierto himself would be liable for dereliction of
duty. Also present in that February summit with gambling lords were Executive
Secretary Ronaldo Zamora and Chair Rosario Lopez of the Philippine Charity
Sweepstakes Office.
This is a simple case. The participants in that summit, including the police
generals, have admitted being present in that meeting with the gambling lords.
In fact, it was the police officers who produced the jueteng operators for the
meeting, at the request of Lopez.
The police have been ordered to crack down on jueteng operations and arrest
everybody involved in them, especially the financiers and operators. But
claiming they did not know who the gambling lords were, the police have not
arrested any one of them.
Yet when Lopez asked them to invite jueteng operators to the meeting, the
police readily brought nine of the biggest operators, who were likened by some
observers to heads of Mafia families.
This indicates that the police not only knew the identities of the gambling
lords but are familiar and perhaps even friendly with them. The nine did not
deny that they were jueteng operators and in fact allegedly taught the
government officials how to run a jueteng operation.
The illegal numbers game run by the gambling lords are at present still
operating in many parts of the country. Therefore our laws against illegal
gambling continue to be violated by the operators. In fact, it is possible that
there are existing warrants of arrest against some of the gambling lords who
met with the police. Yet the police generals and colonels did not do anything
to arrest them, as their duty required. On the contrary, they probably shook
hands with them and sent them on their merry way. Is that not dereliction of
duty?
The admissions are there, given under oath and preserved in the records of the
House of Representatives. Desierto has the facts at his fingertips to start an
investigation. He does not need anybody to file the charges. Under the law, he
can on his own, order the investigation and file the charges. If he doesn't, he
himself can be charged with dereliction of duty. Mojica may even add that to
the charges he has already filed.
* * *