- GILBERT BAYORAN
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson expressed his support to the Small Town Lottery (STL) operations of the Super Lucky Beagler Inc. (SLBI) in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental, as authorized by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.
Lacson made the statement in response to the letter he got from PCSO Negros Occidental branch manager Jose Manuel Villagracia, asking for his support to the STL operations by the SLBI.
In separate letters to Lacson, Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer, and Kabankalan Mayor Benjie Miranda, among other local government officials, Villagracia stressed that “the success of STL games will help the national government raise additional charity funds and increase the number of people, who will greatly benefit from PCSO’s medical and charity assistance”.
Villagracia said that SLBI remains as the sole authorized entity to operate STL in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental.
Lacson also said that he intends to talk to Villagracia to get more background information, noting that the letter he got implies of illegal activities.
“Of course, we don’t want that. We only support legitimate STL operations,” the governor stressed.
Villagracia, in his letter to Lacson, said that additional revenues from the games are also intended to benefit the constituents through LGUs, by way of allocating corresponding STL shares from the gross sales of the operation.
But Lacson said he has yet to find out with the Provincial Treasurer’s Office on how much is being given to the provincial government, as its share from STL operations in the province, as sanctioned by the PCSO.
The National Bureau of Investigation earlier issued subpoenas against two barangay captains and two suspected operators of illegal STL operation in Kabankalan City, following a meeting with bet solicitors in a barangay hall.
Lacson said he welcomed the involvement of the NBI in the probe against those involved in illegal gambling.
“It is up to the barangay captains to answer the subpoenas issued to them by NBI. Definitely, we don’t support illegal STL operations,” the governor stressed./GB
