60 anti-jueteng execs vie for award

DAGUPAN CITY — Will somebody from Pangasinan qualify for the nationwide Parangal Para Sa Mararangal for local officials who are anti-jueteng advocates?

Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, national chairman of the Krusadang Bayan Laban sa Jueteng (Jueteng-Free Philippines) which is spearheading the search, said to date, there are more than 60 representatives, governors and mayors from Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao who have been identified as anti-jueteng crusaders.

Awarding rites are scheduled on April 6 with President Arroyo herself handing out the citations.

Cruz said the President’s presence would affirm her commitment to rid the government of corruption.

"It is easy for a city or a municipality to be free of jueteng. It is enough for the local public official concerned to simply say No," said Cruz, who has consistently waged a no-nonsense campaign against the illegal numbers game in Central Pangasinan.

He said the national crusade against jueteng is definitely not against the poor who bet their hard-earned money, but against corruption in government.

"Jueteng payolas are what make some local officials deaf and certain police authorities blind," he said.