DOJ Starts Probe on Jueteng Controversy
May 26, 2005
Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez
launched yesterday the first salvo on the government’s
all-out war against jueteng and other illegal
numbers games in the country.
In the initial meeting held at the Department
of Justice of the committee chaired by Secretary
Gonzalez, Pangasinan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, who
is taking the cudgels against jueteng, appeared
before the committee and presented yesterday a
list of personalities involved in the illegal
numbers games. The list includes local elected
officials and police officers that are either
alleged gambling lords or protectors of jueteng.
Secretary Gonzalez, for his part, called on the
Department of Interior and Local Government to
conduct a probe on said officials.
On Tuesday, the Justice chief ordered all regional,
city, provincial and regional state prosecutors
nationwide to submit an inventory of all pending
and resolved cases involving jueteng and other
illegal numbers games.
Secretary Gonzalez issued the memorandum immediately
after the creation of a Special Committee Against
Jueteng, Other Numbers Games and Illegal Activities
and their Implication to the National Economy
and National Security.
By virtue of Department Order no. 253, the Secretary
chairs the said committee. Its members are Undersecretary
Ramon J. Liwag for Luzon, Undersecretary Ernesto
Pineda for the Visayas, Undersecretary Macabangkit
Lanto for Mindanao and Chief State Prosecutor
Jovencito Zuno as regular member.
The committee was created to monitor violations
and if evidence warrants, to cause the prosecution
of violators of Republic Act No. 9287 or the Anti-Illegal
Numbers Games Law without fear or favor.
The move was the result of an order of the President
to the DOJ to investigate and spare no one in
connection with the jueteng controversy.
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