Puno to Have Day in Court – Aquino

NEW YORK – President Benigno S. Aquino III said here he is not yet ready to accept the resignation offer of Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Rico Puno, who is being linked to the jueteng controversy, saying he deserves to be accorded due process.

President Aquino said Puno’s offer to resign is normally expected of anyone who does not cling to his position. It only proves the DILG executive’s commitment to help in the government’s desire to bring about change in the country, the President added.

Instead of accepting Puno’s offer to resign, Aquino said he has already directed the Executive Secretary and Malacanang’s legal counsel to study all the recommendations submitted to his office in relation to the jueteng issue.

He added that efforts will only go to waste if a case is filed against those being implicated in the jueteng issue only for the case to be dismissed in the end.

“We have due process, which is always given to non-allies so why not give the same due process to an ally and a friend?” said President Aquino.

The Chief Executive reiterated the government’s resolve to stamp out jueteng, adding he had already directed DILG Secretary Jessie Robredo to formulate a comprehensive plan against the illegal numbers game.

Meanwhile, Vice President Jejomar Binay said he is is amenable to a review of proposals to legalize jueteng operations in the country.

In the wake of supposed links of some public officials to the illegal numbers game, Binay, also the chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDC), urged the government to “revisit” its policy against jueteng and consider possible sources of revenue from the numbers game.

President Aquino has opposed the legalization of jueteng and even ordered the DILG to come up with a comprehensive plan to stamp out the illegal activity. “It’s high time to review the position of the government in light of what has transpired. Meron namang panukala in the past (there has been proposals in the past),” the Vice President told reporters in Malacañang.

“I’m open to revisit jueteng. Tingnan natin kung ano na ang naging tama. Panahon na siguro na pag-usapan muli, tignan muli kung dapat ngang ma-legalize ulit (Let’s study the proposal and see if it should be legalized),” he added.

Binay was in the Palace to administer the oath-taking rites of new government officials. He was recently designated to represent President Aquino in official ceremonies and social functions while he is on a weeklong visit in the United States.

Elena Aben, Manila Bulletin