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BY GLENN BEUP
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Friday, August, 4, 2017
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ROXAS City – The Sangguninag Panlalawigan of Capiz issued a 60-day moratorium for Small Town Lottery (STL) operation in the province.
The Provincial Board met with Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) branch manager Jeanette Lloyd and the Five Star Gaming and Entertainment Corp. representatives during its regular session on Wednesday.
The session sought to clarify the supposed operation of STL without public consultation.
Despite the legality of STL, Board member Jonathan Besa said the role of the local government must not be ignored. “We have to consider not only the economic and physical well-being of our constituents but also the moral issues in the implementation,” Besa said.
Besa added, “We will conduct a public consultation. If the majority of our mayors and residents are not in favor of the operation, we will extend the moratorium even up to five years.”
If the PCSO insists on operating starting Aug. 9, Besa said they will bring the issue to court.
PCSO chairman Jose Jorge Corpuz had dialogues with local officials and the police about STL when he went to Roxas City on July 20.
Corpuz said, “PCSO will continue to operate STL in accordance with its mandate even without a certificate of no objection from the province.”
When the League of Provinces of the Philippines met recently, it was agreed that STL operators must require a certificate of no objection from local governments where they intend to operate, a capitol personnel said.
The Catholic Church also opposed the operation of STL in the province.
Monsignor Cyril Villareal, vicar general of the Archdiocese of Capiz, said, “All forms of gambling are morally unacceptable. Worse, no public consultation was conducted.”/PN
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