‘Jueteng is back in Pangasinan’

DAGUPAN CITY — Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz said yesterday that jueteng is back in Pangasinan and in at least three provinces but the police provincial director is maintaining that "Pangasinan remains up to now jueteng-free."

Cruz, in a text message to The STAR yesterday, said that "Yes (jueteng is back) in Pangasinan, Batangas, Sorsogon, Quirino-and counting".

Senior Superintendent Alan Purisima, police provincial director of Pangasinan, said in a phone interview with The STAR that he is asking the help of Cruz, chairman of Krusadang Bayan Laban sa Jueteng, who is also the whistle blower on the jueteng issue, to help eradicate the illegal numbers game in the province.

"If the good archbishop has knowledge about jueteng operations, I hope he could help us with information to totally rid this problem in Pangasinan," Purisima said.

Asked if he has talked to Cruz since he assumed his post just this month, Purisima said Cruz’s hectic schedule prevented him from seeing the prelate.

Purisima said he has also instructed the police chief of Binmaley town and talked to Mayor Simplicio Rosario about reports received by Cruz that jueteng has resumed operations in his town.

Rosario told The STAR that he is saddened by Cruz’s statement in national radio stations yesterday that tagged his town a among the places where jueteng has allegedly resumed.

"Our town is not known as the center of jueteng operations. I believe that the tipster of Archbishop Cruz is wrong," Rosario added.

Based on initial investigation, there are people who collect bets but not for jueteng. The bets are for lotto’s EZ2 whose operation is similar to jueteng.

A bettor for EZ2 chooses two number combinations and bets a minimum of P10 which will entitle him to win P4,000. The draw is made once daily.

Rosario said," I will never tolerate jueteng here because it’s illegal." <