New ‘total war’ aired vs jueteng in Central Luzon, Pangasinan

Newly installed Central Luzon police director Chief Supt. Enrique Galang issued a stern warning yesterday that he would relieve any policemen found accepting "grease money" from suspected jueteng lords in the region.

In his speech during the turnover ceremony here yesterday, the police general reiterated the "no take" policy of Acting PNP Chief Deputy Director General Leandro Mendoza against jueteng operations with no exceptions.

Galang assumed the position as director of Police Regional Office (PRO) 3 from Chief Supt. Roberto Calinisan who is expected to retire in April.

He said that they are now formulating plans on how to rid the region of all kinds of illegal gambling, particularly jueteng.

"We will not stop until we totally stamped out jueteng operations in the region whoever gets hurt. This time, no sacred cows," Galang said as he appealed to all local government officials including the civilian populace to help the police in its campaign against the eradication of the illegal numbers game.

Galang said that without the participation of the local community the police could not attain its desired goal especially in maintaining peace and order.

This came as Police Sr. Supt. Leopoldo Bataoil warned 18 police chiefs in various towns of Pangasinan province where jueteng reportedly resurged, to stop the illegal numbers game and all forms of illegal gambling in their jurisdiction or be sacked from service.

Bataoil called the concerned police chiefs during a press conference which was also attended by Provincial Interior and Local Government officer Melba Bravo at the provincial police hedquarters in Lingayen.

"Effective today, there should be a strong enforcement of laws against illegal numbers game. We should start with a clean slate. There should be no toleration and no let-up in our operation," Bataoil issued the stern warning after he attended a conference the other day in Camp Crame with Mendoza where police provincial directors in Luzon were ordered to stop jueteng in their areas of jurisdiction.

Based on the announcement of Local Government Secretary Joey Lina who presided over their conference in Camp Crame, local government units in their respective areas will take care of those who will be displaced by this campaign.

He said that they are aiming to make Pangasinan a jueteng-free province, as he showed a similar directive of Pangasinan Gov. Victor Agbayani to eradicate jueteng in the province — With Eva de Leon, Cesar Ramirez