IT SAYS HERE: Diego Cagahastian from Opinyon
It Says Here

STL being used as cover

Aug 15, 2022, 5:26 AM
Diego S. Cagahastian

Diego S. Cagahastian

Columnist

ONE of the primordial objectives of General Manager Mel Robles of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) is to increase the revenues of this government corporation so that it may be able to provide financial assistance to the many government agencies being helped by the charity institution.

Not only that -- thousands of indigent Filipinos are counting on the PCSO for assistance in their medical and hospitalization expenses. Robles and his chairman, Junie Cua, both know that this traditional role of the PCSO in helping those most in need cannot be diminished.

The challenge for Robles, therefore, is to increase the income of the PCSO and strengthen its balance sheet, so that it could continue helping the people.

One way of doing this is making an inventory of Small Town Lottery (STL) operators who -- for years -- have not been remitting the share of PCSO, or remitting only a portion of such share.

Worse is when they use the STL as cover for the illegal numbers game Jueteng. This illegal practice has been the meat of legends and hometown stories especially in the rural provinces. Thus, it must be true, as even participants in the STL cover admit to the racket. Police blotters and records are replete of these reports, although knowing the police, little has been done to reverse the situation.

This is perhaps why the agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and not policemen, were behind the successful arrest of two persons at the Libertad Public Market in Bacolod City recently.

The suspects were nabbed for accepting bets for a Small Town Lottery (STL) without a franchise, Atty. Renoir Baldovino, agent in charge of NBI-Bacolod, reported to his superiors and to media over a week ago.

Baldovino identified the suspects as Reynne Magbanua Lopez and Arjens Arro Esbida, both residents of Bacolod City.

Recovered from the suspects were assorted illegal gambling paraphernalia and P1,500 in cash bets.

Baldovino said that the NBI launched the operation after receiving reports that the two suspects were soliciting and accepting bets for STL.



"But when we verified with the PCSO national office, we found out that they do not have any franchise," Baldovino said."



The authorities verified that the two suspects were not legitimate STL operators but were just working for their financiers, and were even offering bigger cash rewards for bets placed by unwary bettors. The NBI said the group is part of a bigger illegal gambling syndicate operating in Negros island, using the code name "Vikings."

The NBI continues its no-nonsense investigation, establishing that the gang operates not only in Bacolod City but also in nearby towns.

The two suspects are now detained at the NBI detention facility in Bacolod City. They are facing charges for violating Republic Act 9287, the law that amends Presidential Decree 1602 which imposes penalty to any person taking part in all forms of illegal gambling.

Another headache for the indefatigable new management head of the PCSO, GM Mel Robles.


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