Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

uouse Bino,__ 8248

Tntroduced by:
HONORABLE AMADO S, BAGATSING

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The game of Jueteng is an illegal numbers game played in many parts of
the country, the most affected areas of which are Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog,
Northern Luzon, Metro Manila, Bicol Region, Cagayan Valley, and the Cordillera
Autonomous Region.

Although illegal, jueteng is a grassroots-based gaming operation that crosses
most, if'not all social and economic boundaries, played by rich and poor alike, the lure of
quick money being its strongest appeal.

It has become a lucrative source of livelihood for collectors or “cobradores” and
headmen or “cabos” to whom the former report. Jueteng operators accept bets as small
as 25 centavos and as high as P100.00 per combination, and there are no limits on
minimum and maximum bets. In Luzon alone, collections of bets reportedly run to about
P50 million daily,

Although jueteng operators are well known in their areas by the local people
including politicians and government officials, the police, and community leaders,
government has not been able to eradicate this form of unregulated gambling, precisely
because of its popularity with the under-privileged and the middle class. Moreover, in
the UNHOLY NATION, stories from a gambling republic published in 2003, writer
Tiffany Tan narrates her interview with a policeman who “xxx regards the government’s
all-out effort against jueteng as merely one of the many tasks of a law enforcer-one he
has to implement despite the knowledge that it is, he says, all “vaudeville” or “all for
show”, (page 59, The Vaudeville Show).

The same book details that cases against juefeng operators and workers number in
the thousands but by one estimate, 60-70% of these cases end up archived. The collusion
between the police and the jueteng operators and the utter disregard by those in power


who benefit from this illegal numbers game is one of the primary reasons why jueteng,
continuestaexist.

‘This representation now seeks to address this problem by proposing to legalize
jueteng. Through legalization, the government stands to carn revenues the proceeds of
which would finance government programs and projects, provide jue/eng workers a
legitimate means to earn a living , and stamp out corruption.

Hence, early passage of this proposed measure is earnestly sought.

CE

AMADO S. BAGATSING
Representative
5" District, Manila


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

Fifteenth Congress
First Regular Session

3248

HOUSE BILL NO.___

Introduced by
HONORABLE AMADO S. BAGATSING

AN ACT
LEGALIZING JUETENG

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Jueteng Act of
2010".

SEC. 2. Defi

ion of Terms. — For purposes of this Act, the term:

1, Jueteng ~ refers to a form of lottery or numbers game that usually involves
the combination of 37 numbers against 37 numbers, marked in small wooden
sizes and placed inside a container; and is played by drawing and recording
one number which will become the first number of the winning combination
and returning the same to the container for the drawing of the second number
of the winning combination

Illegal jueteng operator — refers to the maintainer, conductor and banker of
Jjueteng activities

3. Employee ~ refers to any individual who directly or indirectly takes part in
jueteng activities for compensation

4, PAGCOR - refers to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation
SEC. 3. Establishment of Jueteng.—There shall be established a

numbers game or jueteng, to be placed under the sole control and supervision of
PAGCOR.


SEC. 4. Responsibilities of PAGCOR — PAGCOR shall have the
following responsibilities:

1)

To formulate rules and regulations relating to the conduct of the game;

2) To ensure that the determination of the winning numbers and/or
combination thereof shall be made open to the public either through
television or radio broadcast and/or in the presence of observers, randomly
selected for every draw;

3) To take necessary steps for ensuring that proceeds are properly allocated
and distributed as provided by existing laws, particularly the provisions of
this Act;

4) To take steps for coordination of various operations nationwide,
establishing for this purpose, provincial, city and municipal outlets to
‘operate and supervise the game at the local ievel;

5) To coordinate with various law enforcement agencies and engage their
services in the apprehension and consequent prosecution of those who are
illegally operating the same;

6) To formulate the game’s necessary mechanics and appropriate standards
for its operation;

7) ‘To adopt measures that safeguard the interest of the betting public;

8) To maintain liaison with different government agencies, and appropriate
non-government agencies and ensure their maximum cooperation and
coordination in all matters relating to jueteng operation; and

9) To adopt such other measures as it may deem necessary.

SEC. 5. Prohibition.~No individual or private entity shall be engaged

directly or indirectly in the operation of jueteng and no franchise or license relating
thereto shail likewise be issued by PAGCOR or any other government agency or
instrumentality. Any violation thereof shall be punishable under this Act and under other
appropriate existing laws.

SEC. 6. Allocation of Proceeds. — All revenues, proceeds and income
generated from jueteng operation shall be allocated and distributed to pay for the services
of authorized collectors, their supervisors and other personnel. Twenty (20%) thereof
shall be utilized to pay for the winning tickets and the rest shall be placed under the
Presidential Social Development Fund of PAGCOR and other related programs, subject
to existing policies and procedures.


SEC.7. Penalties. — The following penalties are hereby imposed:

a. The penalty of reclusion perpetua in its minimum period and a_ fine
ranging from five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000,00) to one million
pesos (P1,000,000.00) shall be imposed upon any illegal jueteng
operator or any person who shall directly finance and/or maintain
illegal jueteng operations.

b. The penalty of reclusion temporal in its medium period and a fine
ranging from three hundred thousand pesos (P300,000.00) to five hundred
thousand pesos (P500,000.00) shall be imposed upon any person who
shall knowingly permit illegal jueteng operations to be carried on in
an inhabited or uninhabited place or any building, vessel or other means
of transportation owned or controlled by him.

¢. The penalty of prision mayor in its minimum period and a fine ranging
from ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00) to fifty thousand pesos (PS0,000,00)
shail be imposed upon any individual who shall directly or indirectly take
part as an employee in any illegal jueteng operations.

d. The penalty of prision correccional in its minimum period and a fine
ranging from ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00) to fifty thousand pesos
(P50,000,00) shall be imposed upon any security officer, security guard,
watchman, private or house detective of hotels, villages, buildings,
enclosures and the like which have the reputation of an illegal jueteng
place or where jueteng activities are being held.

e. The penalty of reclusion perpetua in its maximum period with temporary
absolute disqualification and a fine of five hundred thousand
pesos (P500,000.00) imposed if the offender isa government or public
official, regardless of the extent of participation in illegal
jueteng operations.

SEC.8. Appropriations. - There is hereby authorized to be appropriated
such sum as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act.

SEC.9 __Separability Clause. — If any provision or part hereof, is held
invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise
affected shall remain valid and subsisting.

SEC. 10, Repealing Clause. — Any law, presidential decree or issuance,
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to
or inconsistent with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended
accordingly.


SEC. ti. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shail take effect fifleen (15) days
after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation

Approved,