Solons thank Arroyo for stand vs jai alai

CEBU — Central Visayas lawmakers wrote President Arroyo the other day to thank her for responding immediately to the clamor against the resumption of jai alai operations.

Cebu Reps. Raul del Mar, Antonio Cuenco, Jose Gullas, Simeon Kintanar, Antonio Yapha Jr., Clavel Martinez, Joseph Durano and Nerissa Soon-Ruiz led other Region 7 lawmakers in lauding the President’s move.

The President’s quick response against the reopening of the fronton "speaks volumes of her confidence in the unstinting moral crusade of the people of the Visayas and Mindanao against masiao," the lawmakers said in their letter.

Masiao is an illegal numbers game which bases its results on the jai alai.

The other solons who signed the letter were Bohol Reps. Edgardo Chatto, Roberto Cajes and Eladio Jala; Negros Oriental Reps. Jacinto Paras, Emilio Macias III and Herminio Teves; and Siquijor Rep. Orlando Fua Jr.

Bukidnon Rep. Juan Miguel Zubiri also signed the letter.

The President, through Presidential Spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao, earlier announced that she was opposing the reopening of jai alai operations.

The announcement came after local Church and government officials said they were going to block moves to reopen jai alai.

Fears about the jai alai’s revival surfaced after the Supreme Court ruled that Pagcor can operate jai alai as long as it takes no private partners.

Pagcor itself is averse to reviving jai alai, saying it will not defy Mrs. Arroyo’s position. — Freeman News Service