Editorial

Wrong tool for the job

The Senate committee on games and amusements, chaired by Senator Lito Lapid, is in the thick of an investigation on jueteng, an illegal numbers game which the government appears to have a hard time licking.

Friday last week, the probe would seem to be training its eyes on journalists suspected of ebing in the payroll of jueteng operators. A number of 'resource persons' have also been invited, among them Bishop Oscar Cruz, the whistleblower.

It is not clear what the investigation hopes to achieve. One ready reason is that the investigation is in aid of legislation.Of course, the senators are but doing their earnest efforts at dealing jueteng a blow by uncovering who's running the show and who's coddling the operators.

What then after that? Congress will draft a bill against jueteng? The country already has a law against jueteng, it's right there in the Revised Penal Code.

An investigation, probe, or whatever it is called is really a wrong tool for the job.

The situation calls for a no non-sense campaign against jueteng.

Of course there were campaigns in the past. Obviously, these failed, and so jueteng staged a comeback.

The ball is with the executive. The legislative has done its part.

Jueteng won't stop because persons suspected to be operators are summoned to a Senate investigation.

Action is what is needed, not investigation.

Throwing questions, no matter how incrimnating, at 'resource persons' won't stop the illegal numbers game.

What would deal the end for this vice is to cuff these operators (and their coddlers too), build a strong case against them and send these bastards to jail.