Gov't's anti-jueteng drive heads to Ilocos

VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur - The government’s drive against the illegal numbers game is heading to Ilocos Sur after dealing with the province of Pangasinan.

The government is now gathering pieces of evidence against a known political figure and his involvement in jueteng, a source close to the Palace told the Star as the administration is reportedly flexing muscles against the multi-billion “underground industry”  in the northern provinces.

Earlier, Bugallon town Mayor Rodrigo Orduna accused his erstwhile boss Gov. Amado Espino  of his direct involvement in the operations of jueteng in all six districts in Pangasinan, a charge denied by the governor, tagging it as “baseless” and ill-timed as the 2013 mid-term poll nears.

Orduna, who has lodged a plunder complaint, said Gov. Espino received an estimate of P900 million in jueteng money and is allegedly protecting its operations.

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has formed an investigative body to look into the accusation while the Ombudsman is undertaking a separate probe.

The DILG has also requested the assistance of the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Anti-Money Laundering Council and other government agencies in the investigation on Espino. 

In Ilocos Sur, only Tagudin town Mayor Roque Versoza, Jr. has declared his town as jueteng-free.  “This town will remain jueteng free,” the town executive said while another town mayor talking on conditions of anonymity said, “mahirap mapahinto ang jueteng.”

Verzosa however is firm, saying “only the financers of jueteng gain from its operations,” adding, “if one wants to stop jueteng operations, it only takes political will.”