Mar’s stop ‘jueteng’ order

THE KAYA Natin! Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership would like to commend newly installed Interior Secretary Mar Roxas for his recent order to the leaders of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to immediately put a stop to jueteng operations in Pampanga, known as the “Vatican” of jueteng. This move by Roxas to go up against jueteng operators clearly shows his strong political will and resolve to concretize the present administration’s promise of bringing “Ang Matuwid na Daan” to all areas of the country. We are hopeful that his anti-jueteng campaign will eventually be brought to the other provinces in our country where the illegal numbers game continue to proliferate and become a source of graft and corruption among our PNP officials and our local government leaders. By putting a stop to jueteng operations, Roxas also contributes strongly to much needed electoral reforms in our country since this will help level the playing field among the different candidates that are running in the coming 2013 elections. Hopefully, this will encourage and inspire more effective and ethical leaders in our country to aspire for public office since they no longer have to deal with the tens of millions of jueteng money that is used by their political rivals to buy votes or pay off election officers. Less than a month in his new post as secretary, Roxas is already showing that the President made the right decision to put him in this highly sensitive position that may make or break his political career.

—Harvey S. Keh,

Lead Convenor, Kaya Natin! Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership, [email protected]