The luring temptation of Jueteng Payola

Jueteng in the Philippines dates back to as far as the Spanish era. Originated from China, it means Jue (flower) and teng (bet), is a very popular and widely played numbers game among Filipinos. Todate, Jueteng is said to generate receipts of 30 Billion Pesos per year. One operator can earn as much as 38 Million Pesos per day. Although illegal, Jueteng is everywhere especially in poverty striken areas. Its popularity crosses all boundaries of social and economic standings. Rich or poor can play Jueteng, but the poor sector where the lure of gaining quick riches is strong, mostly hit by this illegal numbers game.

Time and again, the issue of Jueteng comes and goes. It reached its height of notoriety in 2000 when deposed President Joseph Ejercito Estrada was accused of receiving as much as 500 million Pesos in Jueteng payolas. He was later found guilty of the charge of plunder.

No matter if congress calls for an investigation every now and then, about why Jueteng persists, it just continues and grows bigger and stronger each time. Same old names are popping up like Bong Pineda, Atong Ang, Governor Chavit Singson, Tony Santos, Boy Jalandoni and Danny Ang. Most of these names have  merged with either politics, juduciary or just mere close friends of high ranking Philippine politicians, like Estrada and Macapagal-Arroyo.

In 1995, Rep. Bonifacio Gillego exposed Sorsogon Governor Raul Lee as a “notorious jueteng operator and maintainer”.  Even a family as landed and as wealthy as the Cojuangcos of Tarlac have not been spared of  jueteng allegations: Former Tarlac Rep. Jose Cojuangco Jr., the uncle of President Noynoy Aquino and  brother of former President Corazon C. Aquino, had been implicated in a 1995 House hearing as intervening on behalf of jueteng operators.

 In 2000, Chavit Singson accused then President Estrada of what none of his predecessors has done: systematize and centralize jueteng collections in the Office of the President – with the use of his powers and prerogatives – doing the biggest racket in the country-playing the role of a Godfather.

Cong. Gloria M. Arroyo and Alleged Jueteng Operator Gov. Lilia Pineda of Pampanga

In 2005, Macapagal-Arroyo’s keens were implicated for receiving Jueteng payolas. She was also accused to have received campaign contributions from Pineda from as early as during her Vice Presidential sprees.

Now 2010, we are again in another Jueteng scandal. In the Senate Hearing, retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, handed over to Senator Guingona, the list of alleged Jueteng operators and recipients of payolas. It exposed the names of Retired General Jesus Verzosa and DILG Undersecretary Rico E. Puno to be receiving as much as 8 Million Pesos every month in Jueteng payolas. Both denied having received payoffs. Undersecretary Puno later announced he will file a courtesy resignation when the President arrives from a week long trip to the US. Congressman Teddy Casino says, dont wait for the President to arrive, resign now. The rest of the supposed operators named by Cruz likewise denied the allegations against them.

Retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz and DILG Undersecretary Rico E. Puno

Senator Miriam Santiago, for the first time since she filed a leave of absence for hyperthyroidism, attended the senate yesterday to deliver a privilege speech regarding the issue of Jueteng. In her own words, suggesting that the Jueteng lords have found the perfect combination in an equation DILG+PNP=Jueteng, said, 

“In a corrupt situation, all that is necessary is for the interior secretary and the PNP chief to gaze into each other’s eyes, and they fall in love instantly. If you look more closely, you will see that there are peso signs in their eyes, as they gaze lovingly at each other in an orgy of mutual admiration and mutual corruption”. Weird as it is, the Senator made her point clear in explaining why Jueteng continues to exist and prosper. 

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago

We have to face the fact that Jueteng has become a major concern for our country, if we are really serious about our goal for a better Philippines. We are left with 2 choices that we need to take seriously whichever we chose.

1. Enforce the law and eradicate the operation of Jueteng everywhere.  Go after the operators and protectors and impose harsh penalties on them.

2. Legalize the operation of Jueteng and earn taxes from it that would help build more classrooms and food in every Filipino table.

Either of the two will surely sacrifice something good. If we chose to enforce the law, the question is until when will we be able to do that? Or its just good if we have faithful officials but what happens if we get to have the likes of Gloria Arroyo after 6 years? What happens if we get to have officials who has less resistance to bribery and the luring sum of payolas? Then we are back again.

If we chose to legalize it, Im afraid, we will just worsen the poverty situation of the country since Jueteng penetrates in the grassroots level and it will be like drowning our own people and teaching them to make gambling part of their daily lives.

President Benigno C. Aquino, III

The government of Noynoy Aquino should take this issue critically. This is something that requires thorough study and correct judgement and responsibility. But I trust we have the best person in the Presidency to handle this pressing issue. For as long as P-Noy continues to enjoy the people’s trust, nothing is impossible. Kaya ng Pinoy, Kaya ni P-Noy.

4 Reasons Why Merceditas Gutierrez Should depart as Ombudsman Head

Ombudsman Ma. Merciditas Navarro Gutierrez

As head of the country’s powerful Ombudsman office, Merceditas Gutierrez has failed to perform her mandate. The Office of the Ombudsman of the Philippines is responsible to investigate and prosecute all government officials who defy the law of conduct. Unfortunately, Gutierrez’ leadership seems to be too weak to act on the many scandalous issues of corruption her office is handling. Is it primarily because her appointing officer, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is mostly involved? Or truly her weak personality dictates so? If this is the case, then moreso, she has no business heading the office.

Before we go any further, let me give you a little backgrounder about Ombudsman Gutierrez. Well, the good Ombudsman is very well known to have been a classmate to former First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, in the Ateneo School of Law, batch 1972. Of which, many believed to have been the reason why she got appointed to office. Also, Ombudsman Gutierrez, outstandingly rose ranks when she entered the Department of Justice as State Counsel to a senior position as Undersecretary. For two different instances, she was appointed twice as Secretary of Justice, filling up vacancies. All of which, GMA was the responsible appointing person, and Im afraid, also responsible to giving Gutierrez her career in the government.

Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago

Recently, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago accused her of “criminal neglect”, for her  failure to act on the Senate’s recommendations regarding its inquiries into certain controversial cases, namely; the so-called “euro generals”, the P728-million fertilizer fund scam, the road user’s tax scam, and the scuttled National Broadband Network (NBN) deal with China’s ZTE Corp.

While the Filipino people painstakingly await the culprits to be punished, her office failed to comply with the Department of Justice’s Memorandum No. 12, which provides 60 days for the preliminary investigation of cases filed with the agency. Also, there is a shorter time frame under Rule 112 of the Rules of Court, which mandates that hearings be held within 10 days and terminated within five days. On all of these, Merceditas Gutierrez, simply did not care, at all.

A picture of Gutierrez being burned

While she always insists, she is doing her job, we see no action on the controversial issues that have cost our country millions of pesos, from the hands of corrupt officials. And for this, here are the four most controversial issues that remained hanging in her hands, that to me, constitute the four reasons why she should not stay as head of the Ombudsman, to wit;

1) FERTILIZER FUND SCAM

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, shortly before the 2004 elections was accused of favoring the congressmen and virtually buying their votes, when she authorized the release of PHP 728million to buy fertilizers and pesticides even though it was already during harvest season.Lawmakers with no agricultural constituencies allegedly availed of the assistance. Later, The Commission on Audit said the fertilizers were overpriced by 682 percent, or at P128 million.

In 2006 and 2009, the Senate Blue ribbon Committee, on two separate occasions, submitted a report and recommended the filing of administrative and criminal charges against former Agriculture Undersecretary Jocjoc Bolante. It also said, that President Macapagal Arroyo should also be responsible for mismanagement of funds.

Nothing happened.

2) EURO GENERALS

On October 11, 2008, PNP Director and Comptroller Eliseo De La Paz was found carrying 105,000 euros (PHP6.9million), at the Moscow International Airport. He said, the money came from the coffers of the PNP for its delegation to the 77th Interpol General Assembly in St. Petersburg on Oct. 7-10. The money was confiscated.

Nothing happened.

3) $329Million NBN-ZTE PROJECT

Joey De Venecia and former government consultant Jun Lozada accused the then President’s husband, Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo, and then Commission on Elections Chair Benjamin Abalos of bribery and overpricing up to $130million to cover kickbacks.

Nothing happened.

I see no Mercy G.

4) ROAD TAX MISUSE

In 2009, the Senate endorsed a resolution asking the Ombudsman to charge with plunder Rodolfo “Dodi” Puno, then Public Works Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane and other members of the Road Board for misusing the road user’s tax. From 2001 to 2009, proceeds from the tax amounted to P60.5 billion.

The Commission on Audit, in 2008 reported on how the road user’s tax was spent. It said the Road Board violated “existing budget, auditing and accounting rules and regulations”.

Nothing happened.

Given all the above reasons as basis, I see no space at all, why Merceditas N. Gutierrez should remain as the Philippine Ombudsman. Thus, gives me the impression that she just stays in office all day long thinking new schemes on how to pervert justice.

Indeed, former Senate President Jovito Salonga and other civil society groups were right, when in March 2009, they filed impeachment charges before the Philippine Congress against Gutierrez, for mishandling of cases. Too bad, it did not prosper, just like the rest of the issues.

Where is Lakas-Kampi-CMD now?

 

                                                                                                          

For many years in the past two decades, we have seen Lakas NUCD, along wth its alliances with other parties, ruled the Philippine politics, taking most of the major positions in the government. I still believe, its height came during the leadership of its founders, the then President Fidel V. Ramos and former House Speaker Jose de Venecia. Why? Because corruption issues against it member politicians were not as bad as it is now, however, whether or not, they were good leaders, its none of my concern at this time, in this topic.

                                                                            

With the rise in power of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, whom at the beginning, everyone, includng myself, thought was the Philippine’s saving angel from the hands, of who we thought was the evil, Joseph Ejercito Estrada, due to his issues of corruption which later resulted to his conviction of plunder, only to realize after not too long, that the saving angel that we thought, is later, to be called an “evil”, by her own ally, with the expose of Jun Losada. Whether or not it is true, again, its none of my concern, at this time, in this topic.

We saw, how the ruling party rose into power, it was never imagined that time will come it will struggle to survive,  and the possibility of it, gaining the most important position in the House of Representatives, is almost impossible. Next week, we will witness, who, will be declared the next House Speaker, after solons will elect from among themselves, their next leader. However, Lakas’ candidate, long time congressman Edsel Lagman of Bicol, according to the latest update, has only have about 40 votes, and he needs about 100 more, to get the Speakership against his most likely only opponent LP’s Sonny Belmonte, who have expressed optimism to win, many weeks ago.

Rep. Edsel Lagman

With Lakas, disintegrating into three factions now, namely the Andaya group headed by former Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya, who is a former LP member and thus, is likely to rejoin his former party; the Puno bloc identified with former DILG Secretary Ronaldo Puno, composed of congressmen who were original members of the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino, had declared support for Belmonte but has opted to remain members of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD. And lastly, the loyal Arroyo lawmakers, who are mostly original members of the Lakas-CMD. Given the scenario, there is really a sure uncertainty, in lakas, winning the House Leadership, next week when the chamber elects it leader for the 15th Congress. Even, the rumor that there are at least a dozen Lakas-Kampi-CMD solons who have previously identified themselves as supporters of Liberal Party (LP) speakership bet, Rep. Feliciano Belmonte Jr. of Quezon City, have changed their minds after failing to get the committee assignments they prefer, is not a guarantee for Lagman to win.

Rep. Feliciano Belmonte

Lagman’s newly launched program called “Balik Lakas”, for party members who have expressed support for Belmonte, but opted to remain with Lakas-Kampi-CMD is hopeful to win back support. In my own language, this program is designed to counter act the “Balimbing” and the “Sipsip” politicians, who are trying to do their most desperate moves to either sell their votes, or uphold their personal interests.

Meanwhile, former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who is the incumbent Chairperson of the party,  in her bid to win back Lakas-Kampi-CMD partymates in the Lower House, has sent invitations for a team building seminar this weekend at Stotsenberg Hotel at Clark Airbase in Angeles City.

Party Chairman Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo

Will she be able to succeed in reuniting the organization before it crumbles down for good? What is the deal at the guise of the Team Building Seminar? How effective will her art of politics be, after all that happend? These are the questions that we need answers after the new Speaker of the House of Representatives of the 15th Congress is elected next week.