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[av_heading heading=’ Suspension, penalties junked PCSO told: Seek Capiz BMs’ Approval of STL operation ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY GLENN BEUP
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ROXAS City – The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) was told to secure a Clearance of No Objection from the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) before operating the Small Town Lottery (STL) in Capiz.
In a resolution, the SP also required the PCSO to submit a report on the STL’s monthly ticket sales.
Earlier, the SP issued a 60-day moratorium on STL’s operation pending public consultation.
SP member Jonathan Besa also proposed an ordinance imposing penalties on anyone who will play STL while there the moratorium was in effect.
But when he presented the proposed penalties before the SP in a pre-session, majority of the members did not approve.
The 60-day moratorium was also junked in favor of the resolution.
“I didn’t really know what happened. At first, they want to support the ordinance but they changed their minds,” said Besa.
Besa believed the moratorium, complemented with penalties, was the “best weapon” against the STL’s operation in the province.
On the other hand, the Five Star Gaming and Entertainment Corp. – STL’s operator in Capiz – started its operation on Aug. 19.
The PCSO had stated the numbers game will proceed even without a Certificate of No Objection or a public consultation.
For his part, Gov. Antonio del Rosario said STL was “destructive to the province’s economy.”
“How many millions will be raked out of Capiz because of STL? Many small businesses will be affected,” said del Rosario.
The governor also claimed he did not receive reports of jueteng in the province.
PCSO chair Jose Jorge Corpuz said they want to use STL to stomp out illegal numbers games like jueteng at the local level.
PCSO has yet to respond on the SP resolution./PN
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