2 Calabarzon guvs to be invited to House illegal gambling probe

MANILA – House Deputy Majority Leader and ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo on Thursday moved to invite top local leaders in Region 4-A (Calabarzon) in the ongoing congressional inquiry into the rampant illegal gambling in the region composed of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon.

Tulfo asked the House Committee on Public Order and Safety to invite Governors Ramil Hernandez of Laguna and Hermilando Mandanas of Batangas since the two provinces have been listed with the most numbers of illegal gambling operations

"I would like to file a motion to invite the governor of Laguna here and probably the governor of Batangas, yung mga gobernador po ng Region 4, kung bakit hindi po masawata ang pasugalan kasi yung kanilang pong salita ay batas," Tulfo said at the resumption of the House Committee on Public Order and Safety hearing on the proliferation of illegal gambling in Calabarzon.

(I would like to file a motion to invite the governor of Laguna here and probably the governor of Batangas, the governor of Region 4, why gambling can't be stopped considering their word is the law.)

Tulfo made the manifestation after Philippine National Police Regional Director Brig. Gen. Paul Kennet Lucas told the panel that the political will of local leaders plays a crucial role in solving illegal gambling.

"Pag ginusto po ng governor na wala pong sugal sa kanyang probinsya, pwede po, di ba? O ng mayor, pag sinabi niyang, Colonel, ayoko ng sugal dito. Or chief of police, captain. Ayoko ng sugal dito sa teritoryo ko. Nangyayari naman po, based on your experience. You've been a general now. Tama po ba?" Tulfo asked.

(If the governor wants to free his province of gambling, he can, right? Or the mayor, when he said, Colonel, I don't want to gamble here. Or chief of police, captain. I don't want gambling here in my territory. It happens, based on your experience. You've been a general now. Is that right?)

"Definitely, your honor," Lucas replied.

Sta. Rosa Laguna Rep. Daniel Fernandez, panel chair, approved the motion and ordered the secretariat to issue an invitation to the said local officials.

"Ang dapat natin kausapin, si Governor, si Mayor. Unahin na po natin yung governor sa Laguna. Gusto ko pong makausap sa susunod na hearing. Bakit hindi niya napapatigil ang sugalan sa kanyang lugar," Tulfo said.

(The person we should talk are the governor, the mayor. We talk first to the Laguna governor. I want to ask in the next hearing why he can't stop illegal gambling in his jurisdiction?) (PNA)