Rep. Rufus Rodriguez. Photo from congress.gov.ph
MANILA, Philippines —A bill that seeks to prohibit all small-town lottery (STL) operations nationwide has been filed at the House of Representatives.
Cagayan de Oro Representative Rufus Rodriguez and Abante Mindanao Partylist Representative Maximo Rodriguez Jr initiated House Bill 4058, which they said would put an end to the practice by many legitimate STL operators of using their franchises to operate illegal numbers game jueteng.
Rodriguez said many legitimate STL operators were using their STL franchises to operate jueteng because it generates more income.
As a result, he said, police forces and other government agencies tasked to eradicate jueteng were having a hard time distinguishing which operation was legal and which was not.
“It would be more prudent if STL is prohibited as it gives jueteng operators a legal front to cover up their illegal activities,” Rodriguez said in a statement on Monday.
Rodriguez then quoted in the bill retired Bishop Oscar Cruz, a staunch anti-jueteng advocate, who said, “STL is used as a cover-up for jueteng.”
Under the bill, all STL operations, however named or called, and other variants, should be prohibited and declared illegal.
“Consequently, all contracts and franchises currently entered into by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes (PCSO) with STL operators shall be rescinded,” the bill added,
STL was introduced in 2005 during the time of former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in an effort to stamp out jueteng. Coleen Barnachea
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