|
Wednesday, June 25, 2003
Jun vows to block 'jueteng' operation
By Edwin G. Espejo
MAYOR Pedro Acharon Jr. vowed on Tuesday to go after operators of the illegal numbers game called jueteng if they decide to operate in General Santos City.
Acharon also pledged his full support to the local media here who are up in arms against illegal gambling.
"Ako naa sa likod ninyo tanan (I am behind you). I am not in favor of jueteng operation in the city," Acharon said.
Acharon added that he already wrote Police Regional Office 12 (PRO 12) Chief Supt. Rodolfo Tor to verify reports that some illegal gambling financiers are trying to run jueteng operations in the city.
"According to Aquisap, there are plans to reactivate jueteng operations here," he said.
Acharon likewise admitted receiving information that some businessmen close to Tor are behind the said gambling operations.
But he challenged everybody to come up with solid evidence against the PRO 12 chief.
"Dapat naa gyud ta ebidensya (We should have evidence). As of now, I have no evidence. I'd like to challenge those saying that he (Tor) is espousing jueteng in Gensan to come out in the open," Acharon said.
The jueteng scandal broke out last week after businessman Richard Garcia was arrested for gunning down Barangay North Kagawad Rubencito Mejia inside a posh KTV bar here.
Garcia is reportedly a close friend of Tor.
Reports also said Garcia was the principal person behind the attempt to operate the jueteng game in the city.
Tor, however, denied Garcia is a close friend.
He claimed Garcia was just a namedropper.
Garcia, who told police he is a businessman from Manila, is now facing murder charges and is now detained at the General Santos City Reformatory Center.
On Monday, Tor appealed to the media here to put an end to the issue.
He said Garcia would have to face the charges leveled against him.
Last week, South Cotabato Daisy Avance Fuentes also blew her top after she was told by South Cotabato police provincial director Senior Supt. Romeo Rufino that gambling operators conducted a dry run on jueteng in South Cotabato last June 8.
She was also informed that several ranking policemen in the region were behind the illegal gambling operation.
Fuentes immediately ordered Rufino to crack down on illegal gambling operators in the province.
(June 25, 2003 issue)
Want Sun.Star news on your mobile phone? Click here.
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
[ return
to top ]
[ home
]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
|
