Senate resumes hearing on jueteng scandal

The Senate blue ribbon committee on Thursday resumed its investigation into the controversy involving the popular but illegal numbers game, jueteng. Senator Teofisto Guingona III, who heads the committee, said the hearing will "explore a more integrated and holistic approach" in combating jueteng. "To combat jueteng is to combat corruption," Guingona said in his opening statement on Thursday. He said the committee will look into the issues of money laundering, asset recovery, as well as the protection of witnesses in the jueteng mess. He noted, however, that the end-product of the investigations would be law reform. "We are investigating in aid of legislation because that is our mandate. As for the mandate of the executive, we challenge them to enforce the law without fear or favor since that is theirs," he said. Among those present during the hearing are Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, Philippine National Police chief Raul Bacalzo, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) small-town lottery (STL) project manager Romualdo Quiñones. On the other hand, Guingona said Tonyboy Cojuangco had already sent a letter to committee narrating his meeting with retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz. Cruz had alleged that Cojuangco, President Benigno Aquino III's second cousin, asked him to "take it easy" on Interior Undersecretary Rico Puno, whom Cruz tagged as one of the ultimate recipients of jueteng payola. The hearing is being conducted in cooperation with the Senate committees on public order and local government. As of this posting, the hearing was ongoing. — LBG, GMANews.TV