LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – Pangasinenses are puzzled by the continued silence of Bishop Oscar Cruz on the rampant proliferation of illegal gambling, particularly jueteng in Pangasinan, where a syndicate collects millions of pesos in a day alone.
The multi-million illegal gambling racket is operated by the tandem of one Lipo Millora and alias Boy Bata who boast of their strong connection with police and local authorities.
While Cruz has become so popular with his vocal stand on the NBN/ZTE deal, a national controversial issue that had rattled Malacañang, Cruz’s deafening silence on the proliferation of jueteng in the province have also become strange for the bishop since the illegal numbers game is done right under his nose in Pangasinan, said a police superintendent privy to the jueteng operations.
The source, however, sought not to be mentioned for fear of being sacked by his superiors who are apparently benefitting from the multimillion racket of jueteng. “Huwag ninyo na lang akong i-qoute baka mapag-initan ako ng mga opisyal dito at ipatapon ako,” said the source.
At the same time, members of the non-government organizations asked Gov. Amado Espino to also make his real stand on the jueteng issue here whether he is against or in favor of illegal gambling in Pangasinan.
What is surprising, they said is that, Cruz has been very vocal against the NBN/ZTE broadband deal but is reluctant to meddle into the sprouting of jueteng in his own province.
According to reliable sources privy to the operation of jueteng, the operators collect at least P300,000 to P500,000 per game (bola) or more than a million of cold cash a day since they play three times a day. Bigger towns, the police source said, yield more than a million in just one play alone.
Pangasinan has 44 towns and four cities.
Espino should show his concern to his provincemates by initiating the immediate stoppage of jueteng since most of the so-called operators are not from the province. They (operators) are merely siphoning off the millions of pesos of hardly earned money from Pangasinenses particularly the poor, said the source.
Newsmen learned that jueteng is operated here by district but the reported overall head is Boy Bata or Boy Tangkad who boast of their strong connections with the local and police authorities.
One of them also is in charge in the payment of protection money to his favored local and police officials in the province.
Senior Superintendent Isagani Nerez, PNP director, could not be reached for comment.