‘Jueteng’ operations in Albay, CamSur unabated

By Manuel T. Ugalde and

Bicol Mail news team

The well-entrenched and influential “jueteng” operators in Albay and Camarines Sur brazenly ignored the presence of Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Gen. Debold Sinas in Legazpi City, when he visited Bicol on Nov. 26 to assess the damage wrought by the series of typhoons.

Despite Sinas’ presence at the PNP regional office in Camp Simeon Ola, “jueteng” operations specifically bet collections and three times a day regular draws based on Small Town Lottery (STL) results, continued unabated in the two provinces in total disregard of the time honored practice of temporarily shutting down jueteng operations in honor and respect for visiting government high ranking officials like the president, local government and interior secretary and PNP chief.

Speaking on condition that his name be withheld, a retired police official said he was surprised to learn that the resurrected “jueteng” operations in Albay and Camarines Sur, under the Quezon (Candelaria) group, did not shutdown its operations despite Sinas’ presence in the region.

In Albay, the Candelaria jueteng group took over last October the “jueteng” operations ran by the Albay group, which was accused of alleged withholding winning numbers in the guise that no lucky bet had won during the draw.

The present “jueteng” operator reportedly does not withheld winning numbers from bettors according to some bet collectors, who admitted they continued their operations with three daily draws held during the PNP chief’s visit.

In Camarines Sur, some provincial and city police officials allegedly keep a blind eye on the illegal numbers game, which report said resumed as early as September this year amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.

Even some provincial and local government officials in Albay and Camarines Sur are reportedly mum about the resumption of “jueteng” operations masquerading as STL in their areas.

Albay broadcaster Noli Ferrer confirmed the existence of “jueteng” operations even during the PNP chief visit. It was Ferrer who exposed the “jueteng” payola under the Albay local group. The payola list contained names of media practitioners, including him, who do not actually receive the weekly dole outs from the jueting operators.

In Camarines Sur, some media practitioners of several radio stations and local newspapers are reportedly on the take from the “jueteng” operator.

The present “jueteng” operations in the two Bicol provinces are reportedly collecting hundreds of thousands per day from bettors.

PNP Bicol chief, BGen. Bartolome Nepomuceno, has reiterated in his directives to police provincial directors to stop “jueteng” and all forms of illegal gambling in the region.