REPORTS about the return of illegal numbers game jueteng have alarmed the Baguio City Council members.
Councilor Philian Weygan-Allan confirmed she has received reports about jueteng bets being collected and drawn at the public market.
Allan said it was during one of the market visits and meetings that a concerned citizen approached her and showed her evidence of the return of the illegal numbers game.
"We are a character city and then there are reports of these things existing in the midst," Allan said, as she called on the community to report any illegal activities.
But Police Colonel Allen Rae Co, city director of the Baguio City Police Office, said he has not received any reports about the resurgence of jueteng. He appealed to all Small Town Lottery (STL) bet collectors, though, to report to police any knowledge about it.
Co said it is the STL bookies who will be the first persons to confirm if jueteng has indeed returned because their daily sales will be affected.
She said there have been no requests for investigations by the STL bookies so far.
In 2017, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and the members of the Baguio City Police Office discussed the start of operations of the government-approved game of chance, awarding a lone operator from the city.
STL operations in the city was projected to remit 10 percent share to local coffers with an expected P9.3 million income monthly.
The operation of STL is expected to solve the perennial problem of illegal gambling with the government-backed games as the lone sanctioned game of chance to be played legitimately.
The fight to end all illegal gambling has been waged by civic organizations in the city, as well as peoples groups advocating to abolish even government-backed games.
The PCSO also launched the expansion of small-town lottery operations in 56 areas in a bid to increase revenue and curb illegal gambling.