ILLEGAL numbers game successfully plying its trade in a cavernous system of gambling lords, “cabos” nationwide, granted unofficial blessings of a stratification of incumbent politicians and layers of law enforcement all turning a blind eye on a most lucrative business, in consideration of a monthly “take”. In Luzon, jueteng, with the Visayas preferring swertres. Other areas of the country, an indegenuous combination of both.
Albeit dated, decades ago, Negros Oriental earnings were between P2 million to P1 million daily. In a Central Visayas province, gambling lords were ready to shower P50 million a month to a governor, to open gaming. Snipets of corruption turned endemic. The venality in the previous Malacañang reached a weekly share of P20 million to P25 million. This is background for the defeaning silence, perhaps similar the gargantuan problem on drugs in the last six years.
Late radio in Cebu broadcast personalities who request for voluntary enrollment, on average, of P2,000 to P5,000, in exchange for a secret text on the winning 3-digit end game. Government introduced the STL (Small Town Lottery) to combat the sub-economic activity. However, Jueteng lords have co-opted the STL by operating both legal and illegal schemes. Of late, government via Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said it expects to earn R10 billion from the expanded STL.
The remittances will apply starting February 1 from accredited operators with the PMRR (Presumptive Monthly Retail Receipts). Said figure, remains way below the real earnings of Jueteng-STL, if not legalized. PCSO must be permitted to enter directly into a partnership sharing (60-40 etc.) with LGUs who intend to operate said games. PCSO must by-pass the middlemen (gambling lords) and go direct. LGU earnings will be transformed as “Social Amelioration Fund” for free medicine/treatment, new hospitals and equipment, local PNP benefits, burial etc. PCSO-LGU must go on a lowered “pricing war” versus gambling lords, if need be, on ticket sales to succeed. (Erik Espina)