Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Q. Pimentel Jr. yesterday said that "there is no direct evidence linking President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her family to the illegal numbers game "jueteng" but expressed belief that jueteng can be "totally eradicated" on just her say-so.
Senator Pimentel made the statements during the regular weekly "Kapihan sa Sulo" breakfast forum in Quezon City. Pimentel added "there are allegations in media — but no proof yet — that can establish their guilt."
The Mindanao solon, who opposes the legalization of jueteng, also said that the poor man’s game can easily be stopped if government leadership really wanted to.
"All it needs to stop jueteng is for President Arroyo to exercise her political will, and says she wants jueteng be stopped immediately," Pimentel stressed. "Within three days, by ridding also the Philippine National Police (PNP) of its corrupt officers, jueteng shall be totally eradicated."
He decried, however, why President Arroyo has not made any honest-to-goodness order or instruction to the PNP and other law enforcers to rid the country of the illegal game.
In simple terms, Pimentel said: "Jueteng exploits the poor. Jueteng money corrupts public officials, destroys public service and is anathema to the nation."
First Gentleman hits smear drive conducted by critics
By YUL MALICSE
First Gentleman Jose Miguel T. Arroyo yesterday said the allegations linking him to illegal jueteng activities are "baseless, unfounded, discriminatory" aired by displeased quarters out to destroy his image and credibility, and those of members of his family.
Arroyo also dismissed claims he went to Singapore to escape the heat from the issue.
"It is not true that I flew to Singapore to evade or avoid the jueteng issue. My trip to Singapore was planned long before the jueteng issue," he said in a telephone interview.
Arroyo, a lawyer who belongs to a big landed family in Western Visayas and Manila, lamented the accusations which amounted to "personality assassination" but stressed that "these will not hold water, because these are a barrage of falsity and manipulations, very clearly by some opposition members exploiting some members of the media."
"Maging patas naman tayo. Ni hindi nga ako tumataya sa jueteng. Ni hindi ko kilala ni sinong jueteng lord na sinasabi ng iba diyan. Huwag naman tayong magnais maging popular sa ikasasakit ng damdamin at ikasisira ng pangalan ng iba," he said.
In response to allegations he is using jueteng money in his socio-civic projects, Arroyo said: "Though some sectors have been hitting me left and right with bias, I, on my own, will continue to give assistance to the millions of our fellow Filipinos, who are badly in need of help."
The First Gentleman has been engaged in various community and pro-poor projects, including assistance to kidney patients, giving of false teeth to members of the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, drivers, vendors, squatter folks and even media men.
Lawyer Jesus Santos, a spokesman for Arroyo, reiterated that Mr. Arroyo and his son Pampanga Rep. Mikey Arroyo have never been connected to any jueteng activities.
Nene explains purpose of Senate inquiry
By MARIO B CASAYURAN
The Senate inquiry into the illegal numbers game jueteng is simply aimed at finding out why it remains rampant despite the enactment of laws imposing harsher penalties and is not meant to destabilize the Arroyo administration, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Q. "Nene" Pimentel Jr. said yesterday.
This developed as Donald Dee, president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), expressed concern over the spate of "unsubstantiated accusations" that put to question the legitimacy of the Arroyo administration while alleging involvement of members of the First Family in illegal gambling operations.
"The problem here is for every criticism that is hurled against the government, they will cry destabilization. But that is farthest from my mind. I don’t want the President removed from office through extra-legal methods," Pimentel said.
The former senate president stressed that he has consistently opposed any power grab attempt because that would only spawn violence and turn the Philippines into a banana republic.
Meanwhile, the opposition is divided or the issue of legalizing jueteng.
Sen. Edgardo J. Angara said the chance of the Senate approving the legalization of jueteng is bright because its proceeds could become a source of revenue and that the time and resources of both the police and the military in suppressing it could used for other social-oriented projects.
Pimentel, however, reiterated his objection legalizing jueteng because that would be tantamount to a "cop out to the dark forces" and would destroy the moral foundations of society.
Meanwhile, the Senate rules committee is expected to rule Monday on which Senate committee — games and amusement, public order, or illegal drugs — would lead the Senate inquiry or to hold joint hearings.
Ahead of the ruling, Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile is urging the witnesses to be presented in a Senate investigation to already show proof that certain government officials and members of the First Family had indeed benefited from jueteng operations.
These witnesses, according to Enrile, should not wait for the commencement of the Senate hearing to present to the public convincing and verified evidence of the officials’ involvement in the illegal numbers game.
Pimentel said the continued proliferation of jueteng, masiao, and other outlawed games of chance means that the PNP is not enforcing the law.
Meanwhile, the business sector is worried about the fallout from the allegations against the President and her family as well as the persistent questions against the legitimacy of her administration.
If left unabated, these allegations from "irresponsible politicians and their partisans" could derail the country’s economic growth as investors once again shy away from the Philippines because of political uncertainty, Dee said.
He warned that the poorest sectors would suffer most from any fallout arising from the irresponsible attacks on the Arroyo administration as these would discourage new investments that would create more employment opportunities and increase productive capital circulating in the economy.
He also noted a similar view expressed by the European Commission (EC) representative in the Philippines that persistent rumors of destabilization against the government are not helping the country at all.
Dee said that growing investors confidence in the country may be reversed by the negative reports generated by the jueteng controversy.
Groups back FG on social dev’t projects
By EDGAR J. TAMAYO
A number of peoples’ organizations and urban poor groups have branded as "unfair" and "politically-motivated" insinuations by some quarters that funds used to finance the social development projects of First Gentleman Mike Arroyo have allegedly come from illegal gambling and smuggling activities.
"This is very much unfair for the First Gentleman who is going out of his way to help President Gloria Macapaga Arroyo attain her 10-point development program, especially in alleviating the plight of the poor both in the blighted urban areas and in the countryside," said Alex Medina, president of the Antipolo Association of Farmers and Agriculture Beneficiaries.
Medina, Region IV chairman of the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries noted that FG Mike Arroyo is aware of the tight financial situation besetting the government nowadays and has been complementing the meager budget for social development projects like the extension of health assistance to the sick, financial assistance to poor but deserving students pursuing higher education and livelihood opportunities for the jobless.
He said some of their members who are the First Gentleman’s social programs deplored nasty insinuations that these projects are funded by illegal sources.
"The sincerity of the First Gentleman in containing the poverty situation and to ease the sufferings of our people is beyond question. Through legitimate fund-raising activities, he was able to initiate and pursue health, education, livelihood and even sports development projects which have benefited a lot of people from depressed areas," Medina said.
Meanwhile, National Union of Unemployed and Underemployed Employees (NUUUE) founding president Ernesto O. Abille said that detractors of Mr. Arroyo have revealed themselves as "anti-poor" by attempting to obstruct Arroyo’s social development projects.
"They are like the Pharisees who played blind to the accomplishments of Jesus Christ for the poor and the sick, and their spiritual development," Abille, a labor voluntary arbitrator, said.
The NUUUE official urged Filipinos to stop the culture of envy, obstructionism and perennial fault-finding for the sake of the youth and of Filipinos yet to come. "The country will not be able to move forward once Filipinos engage in endless recrimination, hatred and self-righteousness," Abille said.
"At this time when the nation is buffeted by economic uncertainties, it is the bounded and patriotic duty of every citizen to support our duly-mandated government, not to destroy its noble objectives by injecting petty political motives," he added.
GMA orders strict enforcement of anti-gambling law
By GENALYN D. KABILING
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo yesterday ordered authorities to strictly enforce the one-year-old law against all forms of illegal gambling and reminded the public of the tough sanctions for violators which includes imprisonment ranging from a month to 20 years for a bettor, operator or protector.
The President also appealed to the public to refrain from "mudslinging and character assassination" even as her aides protested the "sweeping allegations" that the chief executive and her family have taken payoffs from gambling lords "without a single piece of evidence at hand."
"Let’s work together in addressing the problem of illegal gambling while enforcing the law rather than engaging in mudslinging and character assassination," she said in a speech during a business conference in Calicoan beach resort in Guiuan, Eastern Samar.
"I strongly urge the filing of charges against anyone involved in payola and no one will be spared even as I urge all investigations into the matter not be centered on hearsay," she said.
The President was referring to Republic Act No. 9287 or An Act Increasing the Penalties for Illegal Numbers Game approved on April 2, 2004. The law imposes imposes tough sanctions against those involved in illicit gambling and provides a reward system for information leading to the arrest and conviction of perpetrators.
She directed the Department of Justice and the Department of Interior and Local Government to increase public awareness of the existing anti-illegal gambling law.
"It is the President’s firm belief that the legal mechanisms needed to stop illegal gambling are in place and that political will at all levels must be exercised to ensure that the provisions of RA 9287 are indeed being carried out," a Palace statement read.
In addition to the economic reforms and social investments, Mrs. Arroyo said the government intends to build a "strong moral society" that includes not only a campaign to change the culture of violence but also a campaign "to lick the culture of gambling among Filipinos, especially the poor."
"Our goal is to come up with policies that would encourage our people to work hard rather than to entrust their lives on games of luck. That’s why we must focus on the economy, investments and jobs," she said.
Malacañang also strongly rejected the accusations of Senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. that the President has received jueteng kickbacks in the form of campaign contributions from gambling lords in her home province in Pampanga.
"We protest Senator Pimentel’s sweeping allegations without a single piece of evidence at hand," Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said in a statement. He said the policy of the President against illegal gambling is firm, reiterating her rejection on the legalization of jueteng for fear it would encourage laziness among Filipinos.
"Licking the culture of gambling requires a comprehensive approach, which would encourage our people to work harder rather than entrust their lives to games of luck. In this, we all need to work together," he added.
Malacañang earlier dismissed as rumors alleged links between jueteng operators and First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo and Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo although the President has ordered a full investigation and vowed to uphold the rule of law "no matter who gets hurt."
The Department of Justice and the Office of the Ombudsman were directed to identify and prosecute people protecting and benefiting from the illegal numbers. But Mr. Arroyo left the country for Singapore barely a day after his wife issued the directives.
Reports earlier said three jueteng operators tagged the First Gentleman and his son as the biggest recipients of jueteng kickbacks. Opposition Senator Panfilo Lacson said they would testify at a Senate probe into jueteng.
Under the RA 9787, bettors can be imprisoned for 30 days to 90 days; a personnel or staff, six years to eight years; a collector, eight years to 10 years; coordinator or controller, 10 years to 12 years; operator, 12 years to 14 years; financier, 14 years to 16 years, and protector or coddler, 16 years to 20 years.
Lomibao bares ‘one-strike’ rule on jueteng
By ARIS R. ILAGAN
Police officials who fail to curb illegal jueteng operations in their respective area of responsibility will be immediately relieved from their posts, Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Arturo C. Lomibao said yesterday as he announced a new "one-strike" policy against erring PNP officials.
Signaling a renewed commitment by the PNP to eradicate the illegal numbers game in the country, Lomibao said that from now on, the arrest of just one suspected jueteng operator or coddler will mean the summary relief of the chief of police or the precinct commander in the area where the suspect operates. The previous PNP policy required three such arrests before a chief of police could be sacked.
"A one-strike policy instead of the three-strike policy shall now apply," Lomibao said. "At least one arrest made by higher police units shall cause the summary relief of the chief of police or the police community precinct commander concerned," he said during a press conference at the PNP Directorate for Community Relations office in Camp Crame, Quezon City.
Lomibao said the PNP Anti-Illegal Gambling Task Force will report to the police leadership police commanders who are ineffective in stopping jueteng activities.
He said all police regional, provincial and city and town commanders will be required to submit a certification from local executives and church leaders in their area of responsibility to prove that there is no jueteng operation in their place.
The certification, he said, will be submitted to officials of the PNP Anti-illegal Gambling Task Force led by Chief Superintendent Edgar Baguio not later than May 24.
Lomibao issued the directive in the wake of reports that jueteng operations conducted via "guerrilla-type" schemes remain unabated in many areas of Central Luzon.
"In this connection, direct all your operatives to arrest all collectors and bettors and file charges under the new Anti-Gambling Law Republic Act 9287," Lomibao ordered Baguio.
The PNP chief said anti-illegal gambling operations should also be focused on protectors, financiers and maintainers, including political personalities and erring PNP officials.
As this developed, Lomibao welcomed any investigation against him and other police officials who are being linked by some quarters to jueteng activities.
While he was attending an annual meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nation Chiefs of Police (ASEANAPOL), Lomibao was implicated by three alleged whistleblowers who were the sources of an expose on the alleged involvement of senior PNP officers and other influential political figures in jueteng.
"I was concerned that this news came out while I was away from the country. But I welcome the investigation and I’m willing to answer all the allegations against me" but only in the proper forum, he said
Earlier, Interior and Local Government Secretary Angelo Reyes said he will only place Lomibao and other police officials linked to jueteng under investigation if there is enough evidence against them.
