The illegal numbers game which has become rampant and unabated in the provinces of Albay, Sorsogon, Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte has effectively shut down, even before it can get started, the proposed small-town-lottery (STL) being pushes the government purportedly to “kill” jueteng, and boost tax collection from the PAGCOR-operated lottery games.

        Police sources, as well as sources from the underground, identified the reported gambling bosses in Albay and Sorsogon as a certain Leony Lim from Sorsogon and Carding Ong of Tabaco City. Other “bosses” were identified as Tony Ang for Camarines Norte and Bong V. for Camarines Sur.

        In a press conference held recently at Camp Gen. Simeon Ola here, Bicol Regional Police Director Chief Supt Ricardo Padilla said his office is tasked to fight terrorism, insurgency, and other crimes such as illegal gambling.

        He said that while his men are hell-bent in curbing the illegal numbers game, the police alone cannot stop jueteng to its justifiable end.

        “I will fight all forms of illegal gambling but the problem is I could not bring all the police forces to run after jueteng because there are more urgent matters at hand that should be addressed,” Padilla said even as some newsmen raised their eyebrows over something which they said they have heard before from past police directors.

        Local columnist Salvador Flor, a professor at Bicol College here said it is public knowledge that some elective officials are themselves jueteng financiers out to beef up their campaign chest in the upcoming local elections.

        Bishop Emeritus Jose C. Sorra of the Diocese of Legazpi has called upon government leaders to renew their commitment to combat jueteng.