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Wednesday, June 01, 2005
Mayor: 'I was misquoted on jueteng payoff'
By Joel P. Mapiles
APALIT, Pampanga -- Mayor Tirso Lacanilao of Apalit town said Tuesday he was "misquoted" in some of his statements to local and national media about him and other Pampanga mayors receiving jueteng payola.
Lacanilao said reports saying he received protection money from operators of the illegal numbers game jueteng were correct but this happened two years ago and only occurred twice.
He said he received P150,000 and P200,000 from a certain Dante and the money was coursed through a certain Hapon.
The mayor said he tried to return the jueteng money but Dante was nowhere to be found. He later learned that Dante had already died.
Lacanilao said he gave the money to his constituents who were sick and in need.
He said he never pocketed the jueteng money for his personal use. In fact, he said, he cannot even buy a new car.
"Even my house, I could not have it renovated," Lacanilao said.
Lacanilao noted that following the directive of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, he ordered the Apalit police to stop all forms of illegal gambling in the town.
He said he even signed a resolution supporting the President in her all-out war against illegal gambling.
The mayor said he is even willing to be investigated if jueteng operations still exist in his town.
He added that even the church could testify to the non-existence of jueteng activities in Apalit town.
"I could say Apalit is now jueteng-free," he said.
Lacanilao said he is now looking for an alternative livelihood for the hundreds of displaced kubradors (collectors) and cabos (financiers), and their families, who used to depend on jueteng for their daily basic needs and their children's school needs.
He said he also supports the legalization of jueteng, provided it would be localized and the proceeds will go to the municipal coffers for the implementation of projects that would address the people's needs.
(June 1, 2005 issue)
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