Congress probes effectiveness of STL in eradicating jueteng

MANILA, Philippines—Is the small town lottery (STL) jueteng in disguise?

The chairperson of the House of Representatives committee on games and amusements wants a list of provinces and cities with no STL operation but are notorious for the illegal numbers game of “jueteng.”

In a committee hearing on Tuesday, Cavite representative Elpidio Barzaga Jr. said this is to find out if STL has been effective to put an end to illicit gambling activities.

The committee was discussing House Bill 4058 which seeks to ban STL, because the authors said it is used as a camouflage for illicit numbers games.

Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office general manager Jose Ferdinand Rojas told the panel that though STL was meant to raise additional revenues for government, it also aims to eradicate jueteng and other illicit activities.

Rojas said there are STL operators in 14 provinces and five cities.

“If there are places where there are no STL but there are illegal numbers game, then Rodriguez’s bill is useless,” Braganza said.

But the bill’s author Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said the eradication of STL would help the police crack down on illegal numbers game.

“The STL is now a camouflage or cover-up in legitimizing the illegal numbers game to constitute its pernicious effect on the community,” Rodriguez said.

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