Civic group scores jueteng resurgence in Abra

BANGUED, Abra, Philippines – The Roman Catholic-led Abra multi-sectoral group confirms there is a resurgence of the illegal numbers game jueteng in the province but the Abra police swear there is none.

The re-entry of jueteng operation in at least 10 towns including Bangued, Abra’s capital town has bothered Abra Vicariate Bishop Leopoldo Jaucian and his group, but according to Chief Inspector Angelito Dangli Jr., speaking in behalf of the police command, “there is no jueteng in the province based on reports of the different town police chiefs.”

However, Jaucian couldn’t believe the assertion of the police as negative public comments reaching the church has flooded them and the police’s apparent ineptitude to stop it.

Abra police director Senior Superintendent Armando Laguiwid has also denied they are receiving “protection money” from a known big-time jueteng operator from nearby Ilocos Sur.

Jaucian, also the chairman of the AMSG, however, maintains that jueteng operations (in Abra) should be stopped “because this will only aggravate the poverty condition of the people.”

What was present, according to the police was an online basketball betting operation akin to jueteng but was stamped down immediately.