{"id":297,"date":"2019-08-09T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-08-09T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gbc.ng\/duterte-ok-with-police-running-lotteries-just-pay-the-government\/"},"modified":"2019-08-09T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2019-08-09T00:00:00","slug":"duterte-ok-with-police-running-lotteries-just-pay-the-government","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gbc.ng\/index.php\/duterte-ok-with-police-running-lotteries-just-pay-the-government\/","title":{"rendered":"DUTERTE OK WITH POLICE RUNNING LOTTERIES, JUST PAY THE GOVERNMENT"},"content":{"rendered":"

After closing down the Philippine Charity Sweepstake Office (PCSO) and\u00a0small-town lotteries (STL) for corruption<\/strong>, including allegations against retired generals, President Rodrigo Duterte is now striking a very strange tone. The Philippines leader has now given his approval for police toparticipate in gambling operations<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

He expressed this opinion at the 118th\u00a0Police Service Anniversary event,\u00a0reports<\/strong>\u00a0local outlet ABS-CBN. \u201cAs long as it is not rigged in your favor and you secure it complies with the laws, no corruption [then] I will not begrudge you,\u201d he told the audience.<\/p>\n

Incase that wasn\u2019t clear though, the president then backed it up later in the speech. \u201cIf it\u2019s clean, you don\u2019t deprive government of money due to the country and the people, [It\u2019s ok with me],\u201d he said to the police audience.<\/p>\n

This comes just a day after Sandra Cam revealed the corruption that got the PCSO closed down in the first place. In her words, STL corruption was covered up by retired generals, including one\u00a0former police general<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

To then give police the go ahead to participate in the lotteries reeks of hypocrisy or stupidity. Police can\u2019t be expected to fight the illegal gambling that the PCSO is trying to combat if they are themselves profiting from gambling activities. This is partly why the Philippines has laws\u00a0banning government employees<\/strong>\u00a0from playing at Manila area casinos.<\/p>\n

But then, what\u2019s the real goal here? Does Duterte care if police end up corrupting themselves? Unlikely. As he told the crowd, all that matters is that the government gets its cut, and then all is forgiven. Doesn\u2019t matter if illegal games of Jueteng because police look the other way.<\/p>\n

Duterte was also asked at the event when STL operations might resume. While much still has to be done to investigate Sandra Cam\u2019s claims, including senate committee hearings and potential shakeups amongst PCSO leadership and provincial partners, Duterte\u2019s answer didn\u2019t get into any of that. Instead, he succinctly responded \u201cI don\u2019t know, I still have to think about STL.\u201d<\/p>\n

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