By Mortz C. Ortigoza
When I told last week a fellow columnist that politicians
and police officials could flash a smile because I exacted from Dagupan City’s
chief of police Superintendent Neil Miro, my radio guest, who told me that the
all-out gambling war of President Rodrigo Duterte spared Jai-Alai, a number
game played like jueteng, of Meridien Vista Gaming Corporation (MVGC) because
it has court injunction from the Court of Appeals.
The columnist disputed my declaration by insisting Jai-Alai
was part of Duterte’s police juggernaut target.
I doubt his statement because a court’s injunction is, well,
an injunction that the executive body cannot supplant.
“Where did you read
it?” I posed with great curiosity since I have been cutting my teeth on
illegal number games since I became a media man.
“Philippine Star,”
he told me.
After I arrived home I Google searched his statement since
some police officers and elective official publicly declared that Jai-Alai, a
P10 million a day or P3.6 billion a year churning endeavor in Pangasinan, is
immune for raid by law enforcers.
After several searches through the world wide web, I could
not see any news item from the internet that could collaborate the columnist’s
pronouncement as mandated by Executive Order 13 or strengthening the fight
against illegal gambling and clarifying the jurisdiction and authority of
concerned agencies in the regulation and licensing of gambling and online
gaming facilities, and for other purposes.
***
The continued existence of Jai-Alai baffled me.
Former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office Chair Erineo
Maliksi accused last year PCSO board members led by then General Manager Jose
Ferdinand Rojas II who allowed STL to be co opted by “jueteng” lords.
