• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Unscrupulous individuals took advantage of being employed by the government accredited firm to operate Small Town Lottery (STL), and used STL results in their illegal gambling operations.
Worse, they are also using unauthorized persons to collect bets, which they pocketed, according to the initial investigation of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).
This was stated in the sworn affidavit of suspect James Amparado, a copy of which was furnished to the local media, after he was arrested by members of the Provincial Intelligence Unit of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) in Barangay San Vicente, Binalbagan on June 15.
He was found collecting STL bets although he was not authorized to do so.
Amparado said that he has been remitting his collections to a certain Annaliza Ledesma, alias “Daku”, since 2022 at the STL outlet located at 3rd Street in Barangay Progreso, Binalbagan.
Similar modus operandi was also monitored by the PCSO where legitimate STL bet solicitors did not remit their collections to agencies given a franchise to operate STL, but to financiers of illegal gambling.
PCSO also got information that financiers of illegal gambling are paying the recommended bail set by the court for the arrested bet solicitors, who then resume their illegal activities.
Based on the information provided by arrested illegal bet solicitors, the Philippine National Police is now closely monitoring financiers of illegal gambling.
In the past three months, police have arrested 16 suspects in Negros Occidental for collecting STL bets without authority from Super Lucky Beagler Inc. (SLBI), which has been designated by the PCSO as the STL authorized agent corporation in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City.
They were arrested in San Carlos City, Himamaylan City, Sipalay City, Calatrava Toboso, E.B. Magalona, Binalbagan, Candoni and Hinobaan.
The apprehension of the suspects also yielded expired STL identification cards and STL tally sheets, and cash bets of P5,413, according to NOCPPO reports.
Police earlier filed charges against 18 “bookies” collectors for violation of Republic Act 9287 or illegal gambling in Negros Occidental as the heightened campaign against all forms of illegal gambling was ordered by Brig. Gen. Jack Wanky, police regional director of Western Visayas.
Bookies is an illegal numbers game that uses winning numbers from the STL draws of the PCSO.
RA 9287, which increases penalties for illegal numbers games, aims to eradicate these activities and punish those involved, including bettors, personnel, and government officials while also protecting witnesses and incentives for law enforcement officers. | GB
