BACOLOD City – The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) is requesting the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-Bacolod and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-Bacolod to intensify their campaign against illegal gambling, specifically the entry of unauthorized Small Town Lottery (STL).
The resolution passed by the SP on Wednesday cited that STL operates in this city without the necessary permit and franchise, thus depriving the city of the revenue it deserves.
The active participation and the consistent campaign of the BCPO, CIDG and NBI against the operation of STL without the imprimatur of the city government are necessary and indispensable in order to put a stop to this illegal operation, and to restore respect to the authority of the city government, the resolution said.
Councilor Al Victor Espino, author of the resolution, said it has been noted that there are STL operations without the required business permit and franchise to operate within the city duly issued by the national government.
He added that the operation of the STL is unauthorized and illegal considering that it fails to obtain a franchise and a business permit from the city government.
“Its operation falls squarely within the definition of illegal gambling and is punishable by imprisonment under the law,” the councilor explained.
Espino said the bulk of the bets collected from STL operations came from the city, yet the city government does not receive any single centavo as revenue from its operation.
“Clearly, the city has been deprived of the necessary revenues since the operator of STL only obtains permits and licenses from the province and not with the city government, and does not remit the revenue share of the local government unit to this city,” he added.
Espino cited that there is a projected decrease in the city’s share in national taxes for 2023 to about P300 million, thus a need to collect license and permit fees from STL operations to mitigate the said losses./PN