Governor of Albay allegedly implicated in 'jueteng' gambling ring
Albay Governor Edcel Greco "Grex" Lagman faces accusations from the Office of the Ombudsman, tangled up in a payola scandal related to illegal numbers games, specifically jueteng.
In a decision confirmed on January 28, 2025, but only made public on March 29, 2025, the Office of the Ombudsman ruled Lagman guilty of grave misconduct due to his involvement with jueteng.
The anti-graft court concurred that Lagman received payouts amounting to PHP 8.1 million from jueteng operations from August 2019 to June 2022, according to bank deposit slips, some from accusatory affidavits of complainants and witnesses [1][3].
Lagman is believed to have control over the bank accounts, but was unable to prove he had consent for the illegal cash transactions.
Evidence suggests Lagman accepted the payolas in anticipation of future favors as a public officer to protect the continuous operation of jueteng in his province [1][3].
The Office of the Ombudsman accused Lagman of accepting payolas in exchange for protection of jueteng, an illegal numbers game, in anticipation of future favors, which would benefit him in his capacity as a public officer [1][3].
These circumstances qualify Lagman as a protector under Republic Act 9287, which increases penalties for illegal numbers games [2].
The court found that Lagman was motivated by corruption to benefit from illegal gambling, and his actions were intentional and done with discernment [1][3].
Upon becoming governor on December 1, 2022, Lagman publicly declared his opposition to jueteng [2]. He stated, "From the beginning of my term as governor, I have clear and firm opposition to jueteng. Because of my clear and steadfast position, no one dared to offer me payola or any form of it, knowing that I would not accept it." [2]
Lagman plans to appeal the Ombudsman's decision to the Supreme Court. As of now, there is no Supreme Court decision regarding the matter [1][2][3]. The legal process would typically involve the Ombudsman's decision being appealed, followed by a review from higher courts if necessary.
- The Philippines' Office of the Ombudsman found Albay Governor Edcel Greco Lagman guilty of grave misconduct related to a payola scandal involving the illegal numbers game, jueteng, on March 29, 2025.
- Evidence gathered suggests that Lagman accepted payolas in exchange for protecting the continuous operation of jueteng in his province, which would incur increased penalties under Republic Act 9287.
- In a statement, Lagman declared his opposition to jueteng as governor, stating that he would not accept any form of payola, but he plans to appeal the Ombudsman's decision to the Supreme Court.
- The legal process for Lagman's case would involve an appeal to the Supreme Court, followed by a potential review from higher courts if necessary.
