A list provided by a retired archbishop to the Senate linked Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Ric Puno, retired Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Jesus Verzosa and some officers to the illegal numbers game jueteng. The list, read by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman Teofisto Guingona III, was provided by retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz at a hearing Tuesday. Guingona said Puno, Verzosa and some police and military officers were tagged as protectors of the illegal numbers game. The list also named Pampanga Gov. Baby Pineda; Isabela Gov. Paul Dy, retired general Eugene Martin of Baguio City, Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan, Cagayan Gov. Danny Soriano and Pangasinan Gov. Amado Espino as jueteng operators. Puno, who was present during the hearing, immediately denied the accusation. “I'm not receiving jueteng payola, I'm even doing something to stop this illegal numbers game,” he said in an interview after the hearing. Cruz, however, said that Tonyboy Cojuangco, second cousin of President Benigno Aquino III and Aquino's biggest campaign donor during the May 10 elections, had even hinted in one of their meetings that he should “take it easy” on Puno. Puno admitted that he and Cojuangco were friends but that they haven't talked in a while. “My knowledge on jueteng is based on the intelligence report of the Philippine National Police,” he said. Puno, who was also among those blamed by an inter-agency panel investigating the Aug. 23 hostage-taking fiasco, said he is willing to step down from office if Aquino asks him to. “I already told him that if I am becoming a burden to him then he can let me go,” he said. Verzosa's camp also denied any involvement in the illegal numbers game. “The list provided by Bishop Cruz is not legal proof of accepting jueteng payola... This whole circus is a war between jueteng lords and STL (small town lottery) operators,” said lawyer Benjie delos Santos, spokesman for Verzosa. Delos Santos said Verzosa “has presented a holistic solution to Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo as early as July 26 and in Congress last Sept. 6 to finally stop jueteng and its derivatives.” At the Senate hearing, Cruz was hesitant to disclose the names on his list, saying he would only disclose them in an executive session. “The one who should check this (list) out is the executive branch,” he said. But Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile insisted that the retired archbishop reveal the names. “Let's bring out the truth. No matter how painful. Let's name names,” he said. After a brief talk with the senators, Cruz eventually allowed Guingona to read the list aloud during the hearing. Senator Francis Escudero, thanked Cruz for revealing what he knows. “Thank you for leading this crusade even if you are not part of government, you have taken the cudgels as far as weeding out (jueteng),” he said. Puno admitted that some jueteng lords — including Pineda — have tried to set appointments with him through some friends, who he refused to identify. “I can't remember the names of those who mentioned the jueteng lords (but) in passing they were telling me if I wanted to meet with some people,” he said. The undersecretary said he did not immediately disclose the names of the supposed jueteng lords wanting to meet him because the PNP was still investigating “these people.” He said the PNP also has a list of suspected jueteng lords, operators, and payola recipients. The PNP later on turned over the list to the Senate blue ribbon committee. Guingona, however, said they were not satisfied with Puno's explanation, his “very selective memory,” and “very evasive answers.” “We are very disappointed with the quality of your answers. You're hereby warned… under the rules of the Senate if one answers falsely or evasively you can be cited for contempt,” he said. Enrile said that Puno's “hesitancy” to answer the questions made them doubt his credibility. “For the sake of this country, be prepared and candid. Name names. Tell the people who these people are,” he said. “Your word is just a plain word against his (Cruz), so we want you to convince us that you indeed did not receive money,” he added. To end the problem with jueteng once and for all, Enrile recommended the legalization of the illegal numbers game. “If you legalize jeuteng then you can set a regulatory body to see to it that the jueteng operator can perform an honest draw. They will come out in the open, they have a legitimate business,” he said. Senate Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada supported Enrile's idea, saying the government stands to earn P5 billion in revenues if jueteng would be legalized. Puno, however, said he only wanted to use the STL as an alternative to jueteng. He added that he even wrote a report on how the state-run game can be improved. He also submitted the report to the Senate. But Cruz said jueteng can easily be removed if “all officials on the ground” agree to go after jueteng operators in their territories.
