House panel summons all police regional directors over illegal gambling

The House committee on public order and safety has agreed to summon all police regional directors to face a congressional inquiry on illegal gambling activities in their areas of jurisdiction.

This developed after the panel approved the motion made by ACT-CIS party-list lawmaker Erwin Tulfo, who lamented that illegal gambling remains rampant across the country, thus depriving the government of revenues from state-operated charity lottery games as well as casinos.

“It’s jueteng, loteng, STL (Small Town Lottery) being used as front for jueteng. Kaya walang kinikita ang PAGCOR kasi kinukumpitensiya ng mga sugalan,” Tulfo said during Monday’s public hearing.

(That is why PAGCOR is not earning enough because its competition is illegal gambling.)

PAGCOR, or the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, serves as the state regulator of state-run charity lottery as well as state-owned and privately-owned casinos.

“We must do something about this. Napakalala ng sugalan. In Luzon, what is popular is jueteng and loteng. In Mindanao and Visayas, it is mashiao,” Tulfo added.

(Illegal gambling is so pervasive.)

House public order and safety panel chairperson and Laguna lawmaker Dan Fernandez, who filed the resolution seeking to probe illegal gambling activities in Region 4A, agreed with Tulfo that police regional directors have a lot to explain.

“We have to compare what is happening in Region 4A and what is happening in different parts of this country. We need to invite all the regional directors insofar as the resolution that I filed is concerned,” Fernandez said.

In addition, Tulfo said that local officials cannot be blameless amid the proliferation of illegal gambling.

“Hindi lang po itong mga otoridad natin ang pasok diyan, pati ang mga pulitiko…masakit man hong sabihin pati ang mga pulitiko natin kasama rin minsan diyan,” Tulfo said.

(It is not just the police who are involved in this illegal activity. The politicians are on it too…and it hurts to say that.)

“If you really don’t want it then it won’t happen if you are a mayor. If you are a governor or a mayor, you are the father of the province or the  father of the city. If you said no, then it is a no. Itong mga pulis na ito administratively ay still under the power of the mayor,” Tulfo said.

(These police officials are still under the power of the mayor, administratively speaking.)

“Kapag sinabi po ng mga mayor na I don’t like it, wala po talaga yan. Marami naman pong  mga cities at municipalities sa atin na walang pasugalan because ayaw ng mga mayor, ayaw ng governor. Kapag inayawan yan titigil po yan,” Tulfo said.

(If the mayor puts his or her put down on it, then you will eradicate illegal gambling. This is the case in some cities and municipalities which are illegal gambling-free.)

Iligan legislator Celso Regencia, a former mayor of Iligan city for three terms, echoed Tulfo’s stance that the political will of local officials is the difference maker in stamping out illegal gambling.

“Totoo po yung sinasabi ni Congressman Erwin Tulfo na kung hindi po papayagan ng Mayor ‘yung pasugalan ay talagang titigil po yun. Kasi sa pulis, kung hindi ka papayag sa  gusto ng pulitiko, immediately gagawan ka ng order na ipa-relieve ka sa position mo,” Regencia said.

(It is true that if the mayor is against illegal gambling, it won’t happen. Because in the case of the police, if you are not agreeable to what the politicians want, there will be an order relieving you of your position.)

“Tandem talaga ang city director, provincial director at local government,” Regencia added.

(The police city director, provincial director and local government all work in tandem.) — RSJ, GMA Integrated News