At the Kapihan sa Senado forum, Sen. Lacson answered questions on:
– dealing with China’s recent actions in the West Philippine Sea
– ‘conflict of interest’ at the DOH involving Sec. Duque, kin; corruption at PhilHealth
– proposals to scrap STL amid corruption row at PCSO
– ‘militarization’ of government with appointment of retired military/police officials
When the regular jueteng collections of at least PhP200 million a day or PhP73 billion a year in Metro Manila, Cordillera Administrative Region and Regions 1 to 5 alone translate to a mere PhP4 billion income for the PCSO from Small Town Lottery (STL) operations, a big chunk of which is not even in cash remittances but recorded as collectibles, we do not need an Albert Einstein to figure out how much goes to the individual pockets of STL franchise holders, corrupt politicians, policemen and PCSO officials.
No matter how many congressional hearings are conducted, the palms of these people continue to be greased by gambling money.
The fact is, illegal jueteng merely masquerades as legitimate STL operations, 7 days a week, without fail, whose “kubrador” are armed with PCSO IDs to avoid arrest by the police who may be co-opted anyways.
Should Lotto Have Been Excluded from the President’s ‘Suspension’ Order?
It’s like this: if the intention is to stop gambling altogether, then all forms of gambling, including the PAGCOR-regulated games like casinos and online should have been included.
Since it doesn’t appear that way, then lotto outlets should have been spared since there are no reports of revenue cheating as far as lotto operations are concerned because they are computerized and automated and therefore closely monitored – unlike STL where PCSO, for millions of reasons, has consistently resisted to make it more transparent and foolproof.
In an interview on DZBB, Sen. Lacson discloses how a whopping P95 billion of the DPWH’s 2019 budget was manipulated for pork. Other topics in the interview:
– Senate’s stand on not signing the ‘manipulated’ budget bill
– investigation of former PCSO GM Balutan
“Sabihin ko na tahasan. Ginulo ng House of Representatives kasi ayaw nila sumunod sa Constitution. Ayaw nila sumunod sa legislative process na tama. Sa ngalan ng pork barrel.”
At the Kapihan sa Senado forum, Sen. Lacson answered questions on:
– Killing of Mayor Halili
– Criminals getting bolder despite anti-crime drive
– Need for PNP to clamp down on loose firearms
– irregularities surrounding PNP acquisition of Mahindra vehicles
– Inflation up to 5.2%
– TRAIN woes
– National ID bill update
– PRRD clarification he never ordered anti-jueteng operations stopped
In an interview, Sen. Lacson answers questions on:
– need for PNP to be stricter vs loose firearms
– recent killings of local officials
– anti-jueteng operations
– proposed amendments to the Constitution by the consultative committee
Authorities, including the Philippine National Police, are duty-bound to enforce the law against illegal gambling, including jueteng.
Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson stressed this Friday as he noted Republic Act 9287 outlaws such illegal activities.
“There is an existing law declaring jueteng, among other forms of gambling as illegal, and it is not exempt from being pursued by law enforcement authorities. It also breeds corruption among law enforcement agencies,” said Lacson, who headed the PNP from 1999 to 2001.
In an interview on DZMM, Sen. Lacson answered questions on:
– On new corruption modus at the Bureau of Customs
– Gambling lords lording it at PCSO
– Swiss challenge for major infrastructure projects
In an interview after a Senate hearing on the PCSO charter, Sen. Lacson answers questions on:
– PCSO Christmas party
– PCSO problems with illegal gambling operators
From Manila Bulletin: Lacson estimated that the daily take from jueteng operations, usually in the Luzon area, reaches P267 million a day or about a potential P96 billion a year.
Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, I have the honor to report on the floor Senate Bill 909, authored by Hon. Sherwin Gatchalian and co-authored by the Hon. Joel Villanueva, entitled An Act Increasing the Penalties for Other Illegal Gambling Activities, amending for the Purpose RA 9287 entitled An Act Increasing the Penalties for Illegal Numbers Games, amending certain provisions of PD 1602 and for Other Purposes as embodied in Committee Report 77.
I rise again on a very urgent matter. This is not to wage war against fellow Senators, all of whom I hold in the highest respect. It is, rather, to urge them to have a second look at the moral hypocrisy of this administration.