Illegal gambling is back in Ilocos

Illegal gambling, particularly jueteng, has resurfaced in the Ilocos region, with the alleged blessings of local politicians and police officials, Camp Crame sources said.

Despite claims that Ilocos Sur, for instance, is now jueteng-free, the sources said daily draws of the illegal numbers game have even tripled or quadrupled, particularly during the Holy Week.

The sources claimed that a retired Constabulary colonel is running the illegal gambling operations in Ilocos Sur, apparently a "dummy" of the real financiers.

Certain town mayors, the sources further claimed, have been receiving monthly payoffs for allowing illegal gambling to resume in their municipalities.

Jueteng, they said, has also resurfaced in Pangasinan, La Union and Isabela.

This developed as the Department of the Interior and Local Government is convening today the National Anti-Illegal Gambling Summit as part of the government’s efforts to eradicate all forms of illegal gambling in the country.

The summit is expected to draw 250 national and local officials, legislators and representatives from the Supreme Court, private sector, non-government groups, media, church and anti-crime organizations.

"Through this summit, we will come up with a holistic approach that will totally stamp out illegal gambling, especially jueteng, in the country. We will find out what are the stumbling blocks and why the problem still exists in our localities," said Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina. — With Katherine Adraneda