Jueteng is illegal, not because of moral grounds, but because it is simply not-legalized. There are two major legal gambling operation in the Philippines. One is operated by PAGCOR, and the other one is Cockfighting that is regulated by LGU...s. If it is legal, people enjoy it as a form of entertainment, it is regulated, and government gets taxes from it for various projects.
If it is illegal, the taxes that is supposed to go to the government only goes into the pocket of the law enforcers who tolerate it, special mention the LGU Executives, the Cops, and even Malacanang.
Whether Jueteng is Legal or Illegal, it will find a way to CONTINUE to operate because mouths have to be fed.
Jueteng, as a type of gambling, is illegal as the law says. Some people resort to illegal means of livelihood to survive. Enforcement of laws belong to the state, represented by the Police that is controlled by the LGU Executives.
If many people are into that Jueteng business, the LGU and their Congressman should have "ideally" done two righteous things simultaneously, (1) continue enforcing the law, and (2) submit a Bill to Congress to Represent the plight of the people who are making a living out of that gambling activity.
But but but the LGU and the Congressman did the UNRIGHTEOUS and TREACHEROUS thing. They CONNIVED and CONSPIRED with the Jueteng Lords to personally benefit from its profit. These government officials did not do their job in representing the people in law-making.
In the past, the national government is not taking any bribe from the Jueteng Lords. Erap refused to accept a P5M/daily Jueteng bribe. The Jueteng Lords used GMA ang many other individual to conspire against Erap. The month after ERAP was arrested, Jueteng Kickback Collection became centralized in Malacanang. There is no more collection at the local government level, everything is pooled together into one payment receiving basket in Malacanang. Malacanang distributes the Jueteng Payola to everyone down the chain of command.
