MANILA, Philippines – Metro Manila is almost cleared of the operators of the illegal numbers game jueteng, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Leocadio Santiago declared yesterday.
Santiago said reports reaching his office show that jueteng operators have closed shop in the Manila, Eastern, Northern and Quezon City Police Districts.
“We are now concentrating our efforts on the Southern Police District (SPD) because of reports that jueteng (operators) continue to exist there,” said Santiago in an interview.
Chief Superintendent Jose Arne de los Santos, SPD director, has directed his station commanders to completely stop jueteng operators in their areas.
Joint elements of the Paranaque City police and the NCRPO’s Regional Police Intelligence and Operations Unit (RPIOU) arrested Saturday at least eight jueteng bet collectors during a night raid.
“I directed the chief of the Paranaque City police to explain in writing why the number of those arrested was reduced to eight when the first report reaching my office showed that nine bet collectors were nabbed,” Santiago said.
Santiago vowed that there would be no let-up in their campaign against jueteng.
The campaign against jueteng was re-ignited with an expose by retired Bishop Oscar Cruz that two Malacanang officials are receiving P2 million monthly payola from jueteng lords.
The Senate is set to investigate the resurgence of jueteng in the country today.
Santiago warned that he would not hesitate to implement the one-strike policy issued by Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Raul Bacalzo against jueteng.
He explained that Senior Superintendent Alfredo Valdez, Paranaque City police chief would not be relieved from his post because he coordinated closely with the RPIOU operatives in the jueteng raid.
In his report to Santiago, Valdez identified the alleged jueteng operator as a certain Noel Nepomuceno.
Santiago directed the RPIOU not to coordinate with station commanders when they conduct jueteng raids to prevent a leak of their operations as he vowed to relieve those who are ignoring his directive.