PNP chief renews call to stop resurgence of jueteng

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. has renewed yesterday his order to all regional directors to stop the resurgence of jueteng.

Ebdane’s directive came several weeks after Director Eduardo Matillano threatened to expose anomalies in the PNP, including the alleged millions of jueteng money that go into the pockets of PNP officials.

PNP officials privy to Matildano’s expose said jueteng is one of the main concerns Matillano referred to when he hinted about revealing all the anomalies at the police force.

However, Matillano’s expose did not materialize as President Arroyo intervened between him and Ebdane.

In a press statement, Ebdane said the renewed campaign against jueteng came on the heels of his regional and provincial consultations, the latest of which was in Police Regional Office (PRO) 5 last Dec. 10 and 11.

"It is our job to stop all illegal activities, and jueteng is among those on top of the list," Ebdane said. "All units and personnel are on jueteng alert, because our communities have raised new alarm bells."

Ebdane said the resurgence of jueteng was top most among the issues and concerns raised by the community representatives and the PNP Advisory Council Elders in the provinces of Albay, Masbate and Catanduanes.

The latest PNP data as of the end of October this year showed that more than 17,528 operations against illegal gambling have been conducted nationwide, resulting in the arrest of 19,057 persons and the filing of 6,602 cases in court.