Police Brigadier General Debold Sinas, holds a press briefing in Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) headquarters on Tuesday afternoon, September 10, 2019. CDN Digital photo | Alven Marie A. Timtim
CEBU CITY, Philippines– There are only three areas in Central Visayas where Small Town Lottery (STL) games are allowed.
According to Police Brigadier General Debold Sinas, director of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager Royima Garma gave permission for the operation of STL in Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, and Negros Oriental.
Sinas announced this during a press briefing at the PRO-7 headquarters on Tuesday afternoon, September 10, 2019.
Sinas also explained why STL is only allowed in those three areas.
“If you will be asking ngano wala pa sila gipa balik ng PCSO, daghan pa sila utang. Ang mga operators wala pa naka bayad sa ilang requirements sa gobyerno,” said Sinas.
(If you will be asking why until now PCSO still did not give others permission to operate, it’s because they still have debts to pay to the government. The operators have not paid their dues required by the government.)
This means that STL operating in Bohol, Siquijor, Cebu City and Cebu province are still illegal and will be apprehended by the authorities if caught operating.
According to Sinas, he will be giving a directive to all the chief officers in these areas to start arresting operators who continue to operate without the proper notice of announcement from the PCSO.
“We are following up with the guidance of our coordination in the PCSO,” said Sinas.
He said they have received reports that there were already booths or stations that have re-opened and started to operate without the permit from PCSO.
Sinas reminded the public to only place their bets on the operators that already secured permits from the PCSO so they will also not be arrested together with the operators. /bmjo