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[av_heading heading=’‘Pirate’ illegal gambling collectors, STL urged’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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Monday, May 8, 2017
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ILOILO City – Aside from police operations targeting bet collectors of “bookies”, the provincial government of Iloilo has another suggestion to stop the illegal numbers game.
The franchisee of Small Town Lottery (STL) can hire the “bookies” bet collectors.
“It should offer these bet collectors better pay than from ‘bookies’,” said Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr.
The Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) is backing the suggestion. Its spokesperson, Chief Inspector Aron Palomo, said Eagle-Crest Gaming and Holding Corp., the STL franchisee, should note that it pays its collectors smaller compared to what ‘bookies’ operators give their collectors.
This difference in pay makes “bookies” attractive to the collectors and thus strengthen the illegal numbers game’s operation in the province, explained Palomo.
From what he had gathered, Palomo said, the share of “bookies” collectors from their daily connections is 20 percent while that of STL collectors is only eight percent.
Eagle-Crest Gaming and Holding Corp. started operating just this April 8.
While it is difficult to catch the “bookies” financiers, their illegal operations in the province would suffer if they lose their bet collectors to STL, said Governor Defensor.
He also urged the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) to increase the STL share of local governments and the local police.
“How can you expect the police to be more committed in the campaign against illegal gambling if their STL incentive is insignificant,” said Defensor.
In a recent meeting, mayors in Iloilo province agreed to demand a bigger share from the proceeds of STL.
PCSO set the local government units’ (LGUs) share at three percent. The mayors wanted it increased to five percent.
“We need a substantial share. STL’s proceeds are the main sources of government funds for social projects anyway,” said LMP-Iloilo president Jett Rojas, the mayor of Ajuy town.
The new Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of PCSO on STL operations has this sharing scheme:
* host city or municipality – three percent
* congressional district – 0.25 percent
* provincial government – 0.75 percent
* police – 2.50 percent.
Defensor said this sharing scheme must be reviewed.
Dismayed LGUs and even the police may not be motivated to combat illegal numbers games and this, in turn, could adversely affect STL, he warned.
PCSO is expanding the operation of STL nationwide to help the government’s anti-illegal gambling drive./PN
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