Illegal gambling back in Batangas - bishop

MANILA, Philippines - A Catholic bishop on Monday said that the illegal numbers game jueteng is making a comeback in Batangas province. This was revealed by Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles who added that local authorities appear "helpless" to stop the resurgence of the illegal but popular game, leading him to suspect some officials are acting as protectors. "We are trying to figure out who could be ultimately responsible for these jueteng operations," he said in a statement posted Monday night on the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines website. Citing reports from Batangas police, Arguelles said jueteng has returned in the towns of Calatagan, Calaca, Laurel, Tamayo, Balayan, Tuy, Taal, Ibaan and Lipa City. The CBCP article also quoted news reports saying that jueteng re-emerged last month through guerilla and kangaroo style operation by a still unidentified group. Arguelles said it is very unfortunate as it shows that gambling and corruption are now part of the Filipino culture. He said the national government should do something to end the illegal gambling for the sake of the country. "They must do something. There should be no sacred cows in government's drive against illegal gambling," Arguelles said. "I believe it needs a presidential directive to stop jueteng in Batangas or elsewhere," he added. As early as 2005, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz brought the issue of jueteng to President Arroyo's doorstep. Cruz heads the Krusadang Bayan Laban sa Jueteng. Cruz and several witnesses attended Senate hearings, where former gambling operators testified that Arroyo, her immediate family and her associates allegedly received money from jueteng operations. Last month, Cruz said in a radio interview that jueteng is back with "renewed vigor." He lamented that despite calls to the Palace to stop the operation, "no substantial action against gambling has been done." - GMANews,TV