A huge gamble

It ended a presidency. And it seems to have no end.



Since the downfall of Joseph Estrada, operations of the illegal numbers game, jueteng, became even more blatant. Erap was attempting to replace jueteng with his ill-conceived Bingo 2-ball when jueteng operators connived and stopped him on his track. This is lesson number one for incumbent President Benigno Simeon Aquino III.



The tentacles of this multibillion peso industry are gripped tightly on every government agency tasked to lick it. Jueteng payolas flow in millions monthly from the hands of lowly bettors to the pockets of unscrupulous officials.

Retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz was right when he said that while government plays blind on the existence of jueteng, people in public markets, carinderia (eateries), barber shops and even on church grounds and government offices, know very well that numbers game is alive and kicking. Bet collectors or cubradors have never been so bold.

In many provinces, jueteng operates behind the cover of Small Town Lottery (STL) which is sanctioned by government. Bet collectors pretend they collect for STL but the truth of the matter is that they are not. Legitimate STL bet collectors are moonlighting as jueteng cubradors.

In the Visayas, the common forms of illegal gambling are the “daily double,” video karera, “first two” and “last two,” which are based on the STL results while in Mindanao, there is “Swertres” Lotto betting thrice a day.

Suffice it to say that jueteng is actually an underground kingdom ruled by a notorious kapampangan whose minions include people in high places. Funny that when Bong Pineda was grilled by Senators years ago, he vehemently denied invlvement in jueteng. He swore it was the first time in his darn life that he came to know abut it.

This is the second lesson for PNoy. Jueteng operators and protectors in government are inveterate liars. So, the president must watch his back.

Ending jueteng, indeed, is a huge gamble. If PNoy is sincere in going after the bad guys behind jueteng, he should start in his own backyard. Words are rife that emissaries from the underground kingdom continue to deliver thick envelopes containing jueteng payolas to various government offices, including the Department of the Interior and Local Government and agencies under it such as the Philippine National Police.

This is the third lesson for PNoy. The people tasked to curb the problem are those who actually stand to protect it. Mr. President, please find out who among your most trusted men are NOT on the take. Chances are you’ll be surprised that there are only a few of them.

Wanna bet?