PCSO suspends STL operations

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) Chairman Erineo “Ayong” Maliksi suspended the operations of 17 Small Town Lottery (STL) franchise holders after receiving a report from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) that STL is linked to proliferation of illegal numbers games in the country.

Maliksi received a report from NBI and found “jueteng” lords made the STL network continue their numbers racket. He aired the proposal at the sidelines hearings of the Committee on Games and Amusement and was ordered by Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga to review the STL operations.

NBI reports says STL operators fiddled at least P50 billion a year from the PCSO and are not declaring actual sales.

“We deny any knowledge about [this news report], we were surprised when we have read that [report quoting NBI],” NBI special investigator Ferdinand Manuel told lawmakers in a report by Ben Rosario of Manila Bulletin.

Manuel admitted that a probe conducted by his team and found out that jueteng operations in the STL are occurring in Nueva Ecija, Laguna, Batangas, Bulacan, Quezon, Zambales, and Pampanga.

Maliksi said that instead of suspending the operations of STL, majority of the PCSO board approved two or more licenses in Marinduque, and Bohol provinces in August.

He also wrote Ombudsman Conceit Carpio Morales last month to investigate Rojas and other PCSO-STL executives who allowede the jueteng lords to operate.

According to Manuel, STL committed almost similar violations of the PCSO, among them are the absence of sales terminal gadgets, absence of “papelitos” or betting tickets and forms, and non-wearing of prescribed uniforms for bet collectors and personnel.

Those who were suspected of operating “jueteng” or illegal numbers game, have been invited for questioning. Being questioned by the lawmakers, Manuel also admitted that the NBI failed to file any charge against jueteng operators for violating the STL rules set by PCSO.

In a report by Manila Bulletin, Reps.

Amado Bagatsing (LP, Manila) and Dan Fernandez (LP, Laguna) dismissed the NBI report as mere violations of procedural requirements, adding that the premiere probe agency in the country should have merely called the attention of PCSO management on such issues.

The claim of P50 billion losses was described by Bagatsing as “simply staggering” and the NBI needs to confirm or deny the claim, but Manuel admitted that the figures are not included in the report.

PCSO Assistant General Manager Conrado Zabella reacted to the NBI report that the reported claim of fraud in STL and Lotto operations was lifted and he pointed out that it may have taken out of context.

The PCSO, according to Maliksi, conceitedly failed to boost its annual revenues for unknown reasons, adding that STL could provide an answer to this problem if operated properly.