By Erik Espina
THIS is street talk marrying “lottery” with “jueteng.” Months back, I wrote about a Visayas province where the governor was offered P50 million a month (years ago) mimicking the three monkeys – see, hear, speak no evil.
Fortunately, the provincial executive turned down the offer via a conduit of a known “Tsinoy” gambling lord who has, from administration to administration, notoriously managed to stay above water re-inventing himself in every presidency. During the last government, the back-door reports indicate P20-25 million a week was uploaded to the Palace.
Ever wonder why everything was quiet in the “Western Front” for jueteng, swertres, last two, etc. during the yellow watch. This is the reverse of the trickle-down effect. At such sums of money, and illegal, the only way for it to flourish is for a “Trickle up” syndication of hush money. I have persistently pushed for the legalization of every regional/provincial numbers scheme.
Shine the light on this shadowy betting and payola so it can be regulated to the benefit of the government and people. Congress must step into the fray, strengthening the laws against the investors and purveyors of illegal gambling, to include selling and betting, with attached penalties for under the table payola. Such legislation should empower the PCSO to enter into partnerships with LGUs, to include the agreed frequency within the day for announcing every number results with legally established percentages for contracting government parties.
Ticket pricing and monetary prizes must be competitive with the goal of killing resistant and surviving numbers game. A price and jackpot war is the way to go. Earnings for LGU sharing must, under said law, be mandated to provide the best health policy for majority of our provinces in dire need of hospitals, doctors, dentists, nurses, specialists, better wages, modern medical equipment, free consultation/treatment/medicine etc. A trip to the provincial and municipal hospitals today, makes the point, in often life and death conditions for many rural folks.
