Jueteng makes comeback in Manila?

MANILA, Philippines – Intelligence officers of the Manila Police District (MPD) are verifying reports that operators of jueteng, an illegal numbers game, are slowly resuming their activities in the city.

Anti-crime operatives of Meisic police station, led by Senior Police Officer 4 Ver Navarro, nabbed last Tuesday Angelina Nepomuceno, alias “Angge,” 52, while allegedly collecting jueteng bets in Binondo. Recovered from Nepomuceno were more than P200, a ballpen and a list of number bets.

During interrogation, Nepomuceno named the jueteng “cabo” or maintainer as a certain “Gorie,” while the financier is one “Edmund.” She said they have been in operation since May and the drawing of the winning bets is mostly done in the Sta. Cruz area, with operators hopping from one place to another to escape arrest.

Meisic police station chief Superintendent Nelson Yabut directed his men to intensify the city’s crackdown on jueteng following reports that the illegal numbers game has resurfaced in the city with the blessing of unscrupulous police and city hall officials.

“Our investigation showed jueteng lords in the city operate ‘kangaroo’ style or transfer from one place to another to escape detection. Jueteng bet collectors hide their operation through EZ-2 lotto of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office,” Yabut told The STAR.

Jueteng collectors pretend they are soliciting bets for the government-sponsored EZ-2 lotto to escape arrest. EZ-2 and jueteng both involve placing bets on a winning two-number combination. While the former is legal and drawn live on television, the winning jueteng combination is reportedly picked by operators, who choose combinations with fewer bets.  

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim and MPD director Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Magtibay have repeatedly announced that they will not allow jueteng in the city.