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Thursday, July 06, 2006
Wakee Salud linked to illegal gambling
The Cebu City Council told local police authorities and all 80 barangays to submit in 10 days a situational report on masiao operations in their areas.
The directive came after an episode of ABS-CBN’s new program, Bandila, Tuesday night alleged that the illegal numbers game still exists in the Visayas and Mindanao.
It featured, in particular, operations in Cebu City, with Barangay Guadalupe cited as one area where masiao is still prevalent, even though jai alai frontons had been closed a long time ago.
Before, results of jai alai games were used as basis for the winning masiao combination.
Now, the winning combination is chosen based on the lowest value of bets placed.
Program
According to the program, pelotaris who have retired already are featured in tip sheets sold at P1 each.
“It’s not true that there are no more games,” one masiao runner was quoted as saying.
A certain Jacko Monta-ńa, whom the report said publishes “Target” tip sheets, alleged that boxing promoter Rex “Wakee” Salud is involved in masiao operations.
Salud, in an interview with a Manila-based radio station and quoted by radio dyLA, admitted that he engaged in masiao in 2000 because of Charlie “Atong” Ang, who has been linked to corruption charges against former president Joseph Estrada.
However, Salud said he stopped operations when Estrada cancelled jai alai.
He is consulting lawyers to prepare possible charges against Montana. He confirmed knowing Montana, who he alleged is angry with him.
But even before the Bandila report, Vice Mayor Michael Rama, in an interview with Sun.Star Cebu last week, said the police should really look into persistent reports of masiao operations.
He said the police, faced with so many programs to prioritize, such as the campaign against illegal drugs and robberies, might have momentarily put aside the fight against masiao.
Tactics
However, in an interview, Acting Cebu City Police Director Melvin Gayotin yesterday described a report on the proliferation of masiao in the city as exaggerated.
“Hinay naman ang masiao dinhi (Masiao operations have slowed down),” Gayotin said.
He admitted, though, that the police were not able to eradicate masiao as the operators have resorted to “guerilla tactics.”
Supt. Pablo Labra II, chief of the Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Bureau, echoed Gayotin’s statement.
Labra said the masiao operation has been minimized, adding that “only five percent remained.”
Based on the 2006 accomplishment report of the Cebu City Police Office from the January to May, 12 persons were arrested for allegedly engaging in masiao operation.
Of the number, 11 of them were charged with violation of Presidential Decree 1602, or the anti-illegal gambling law.
Hooked
In a telephone interview, Guadalupe Barangay Captain Eugenio Faelnar acknowledged masiao could still be present in his barangay.
He promised to immediately look into the possible deployment of tanods and barangay intelligence personnel.
Bandila reported that tip sheets are still being sold in Guadalupe and masiao runners still solicit bets.
Faelnar said the report could be outdated because as far as he knows, masiao has been stamped out of his barangay about two years ago.
First Councilor Ruben Baculi agreed, saying the people now are hooked on lotto, rather than masiao.
He said there was an attempt to introduce jueteng in Guadalupe but authorities were able to detect and stop it.
In the regular session yesterday, City Councilor Procopio Fernandez, committee on police, fire, penology, and public safety chairman, said the Bandila episode confirmed reports his office received that masiao operations are still “surreptitiously done in some parts of the city.”
He said the barangays and the police were monitoring the operation, but the illegal numbers game “still managed to thrive especially in remote areas.” (RHM/JST)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (July 6, 2006 issue)
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