The popular but illegal numbers game jueteng is central to the thorny issue of gambling and Philippine politics.
Pronounced "hwet-eng," jueteng is played by millions of Filipinos and is worth an estimated 30 billion pesos (HK$4.55 billion) a year.
Efforts to wipe out the game have continued for more than a century, and allegations of criminal gangs bribing politicians to ignore jueteng have haunted various administrations. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who replaced Estrada, has denied claims her husband and eldest son received payoffs from jueteng gangs.
Recent government attempts to stamp out jueteng through a small- town lottery have been hindered by fears it could be used as a front for gambling gangs. REUTERS
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