‘Expedite jueteng probe vs ex-Dagupan police chief’

DAGUPAN CITY — No less than former President Fidel Ramos, a Pangasinense himself, has joined calls from various sectors here for Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina and Philippine National Police chief Director General Hermo—genes Ebdane Jr. to speed up the jueteng investigation of the city’s former police chief.

This, as Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, national chairman of the Krusadang Bayan Laban sa Jueteng, issued another pastoral letter read in Masses starting yesterday, saying that "jueteng is still a socio-moral plague that thrives in our communities."

In a marginal note on an April 23 press statement of Dagupan Mayor Benjamin Lim entitled "Working Together Against Jueteng," Mr. Ramos asked Lina and Ebdane to expedite the probe of Superintendent Noli Taliño.

Taliño and Senior Superintendent Arturo Cacdac Jr., former provincial police director, both sought their relief to pave the way for a National Police Commission (Napolcom) inquiry into their alleged failure to stamp out jueteng in their respective turfs.

In an April 11 memorandum, the Napolcom, which Lina chairs, asked Taliño, Cacdac, Chief Inspector Harris Fama and Superintendent Alejandro Valerio (police chiefs of Mala—siqui and San Carlos City, respectively) to explain why they should not be dealt with administratively.

In his statement, Lim said, "We have tried hard to help in the national campaign to eradicate the illegal numbers game of jueteng, but we found out it was not that easy."

He, however, said they have not been taking things lightly, adding that documented anti-jueteng operations of the city police led by Taliño "almost stopped illegal gambling here."

Lim said he found it "boggling and disheartening" that the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Napolcom singled out Taliño for alleged "serious neglect of duty" in the fight against jueteng.

"We know for a fact that the illegal numbers game openly flourishes in other areas," he added.

Lim noted that Taliño has had impressive accomplishments in law enforcement and has received various awards, the latest being one of the country’s 10 outstanding policemen.

"We must realize that jueteng should not be the sole responsibility of the local police and the local government since the tentacles of jueteng are far-reaching and well-entrenched nationwide," Lim said. — Eva Visperas