Bishop earns flak over N. Vizcaya jueteng stoppage 06-02-05

	NORDIS WEEKLY February 5, 2006
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Bishop earns flak over N. Vizcaya jueteng stoppage
BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya (Jan 23) — About sixty jueteng (an illegal Philippine numbers game) bet collectors and employees demanding for jobs trooped yesterday to the Clergy House where Bishop Ramon B. Villena of the Diocese of Bayombong resides. It was the second time pro-jueteng groups came to Bishop Villena. Jueteng operations in Solano and Bayombong stopped two weeks ago. Fr. Ike Tiongson, parish priest of this town, listed down demands raised by the pro-jueteng camp. One of the demands raised is the Church’s move for the closure of beerhouses. “Beerhouses are more sinful than jueteng, why is the Bishop doing nothing about it?” said a jueteng bet collector who asked not to be named. During the confrontation, some members of the pro-jueteng group were heard grumbling that the Bishop was not given grease money so he sought the intercession of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and PNP Chief Gen. Arturo Lomibao to stop jueteng. Two weeks ago, the Anti-Illegal Gambling Special Operations Task Force arrested and detained 13 jueteng bet collectors in Solano town. The raid prompted the relief of P/Senior Supt. Robert Mangaccat as Provincial Director and the installation of a “caretaker” of the Nueva Vizcaya Provincial Police Office. P/Supt. Agripino Lopez assumed office as OIC Provincial Director last week. In another turnover, P/Supt. Domingo Lucas replaced P/Chief Inspector Francisco Palattao as the chief of PNP Solano. Fr. Ike Tiongson informed the media covering the event that the Bishop will issue a formal press statement in due time. Sources close with the Bishop informed Manila Standard Today that the church is seriously considering a dialogue with local government officials to address poverty concerns comprehensively as a means to finally stop jueteng. Meanwhile in Bagabag town, about twenty kilometers from here, a barangay official of Barangay Baretbet admitted to this correspondent that a certain “Alo”, a long-time bet collector, continues to collect jueteng bet three times a day. To avoid detection, draw results are announced to bet collectors through the short messaging service (SMS) or text messaging. # Abe Almirol for NORDIS Post your comments, reactions to this article
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	NORDIS WEEKLY February 5, 2006
Home \| To bottom	Previous \| Next
Bishop earns flak over N. Vizcaya jueteng stoppage
BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya (Jan 23) — About sixty jueteng (an illegal Philippine numbers game) bet collectors and employees demanding for jobs trooped yesterday to the Clergy House where Bishop Ramon B. Villena of the Diocese of Bayombong resides. It was the second time pro-jueteng groups came to Bishop Villena. Jueteng operations in Solano and Bayombong stopped two weeks ago. Fr. Ike Tiongson, parish priest of this town, listed down demands raised by the pro-jueteng camp. One of the demands raised is the Church’s move for the closure of beerhouses. “Beerhouses are more sinful than jueteng, why is the Bishop doing nothing about it?” said a jueteng bet collector who asked not to be named. During the confrontation, some members of the pro-jueteng group were heard grumbling that the Bishop was not given grease money so he sought the intercession of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and PNP Chief Gen. Arturo Lomibao to stop jueteng. Two weeks ago, the Anti-Illegal Gambling Special Operations Task Force arrested and detained 13 jueteng bet collectors in Solano town. The raid prompted the relief of P/Senior Supt. Robert Mangaccat as Provincial Director and the installation of a “caretaker” of the Nueva Vizcaya Provincial Police Office. P/Supt. Agripino Lopez assumed office as OIC Provincial Director last week. In another turnover, P/Supt. Domingo Lucas replaced P/Chief Inspector Francisco Palattao as the chief of PNP Solano. Fr. Ike Tiongson informed the media covering the event that the Bishop will issue a formal press statement in due time. Sources close with the Bishop informed Manila Standard Today that the church is seriously considering a dialogue with local government officials to address poverty concerns comprehensively as a means to finally stop jueteng. Meanwhile in Bagabag town, about twenty kilometers from here, a barangay official of Barangay Baretbet admitted to this correspondent that a certain “Alo”, a long-time bet collector, continues to collect jueteng bet three times a day. To avoid detection, draw results are announced to bet collectors through the short messaging service (SMS) or text messaging. # Abe Almirol for NORDIS Post your comments, reactions to this article
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