A Small Town Lottery (STL) outlet. CDN Digital file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The small town lotteries (STLs) or small town lottery (STL) outlets found in private lots in Cebu City will be issued show-cause orders.
Mayor Edgardo Labella said in a press conference on May 14, 2021, that while the city could not automatically take down STLs in private property, they could still go after them through a legal process.
“We cannot demolish structures in private property, but we will issue them show-cause orders,” he said.
For STL outlets in private property, the City Legal can issue the show-cause orders for the owners to explain the operations of these structures.
If proven that outlets are unauthorized, then the owners will be charged and the outlets will be closed down.
The police are also instructed to be relentless against unauthorized STL outlets as the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has a reported millions of losses in the highly urbanized cities (HUCs) in Cebu because of those outlets continued operations.
“Nagissue nakog memorandum ni Colonel (Josefino) Ligan and Racquel Arce (PROBE head) against these illegal STL kay nakapenetrate ni sa atong mga batan on and even household helpers. Remember, there is a need for a PCSO license and a business permit, so duha gyod ilang violation,” said Labella.
(I already issued a memorandum to Colonel [Josefino] Ligan and Raquel Arce [PROBE head] against these illegal STL because these had penetrated or influenced our youth and even household helpers. Remember, there is a need for a PCSO license to operate and a business permit so there are two violations for them.)
The Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification, and Enhancement (PROBE) team can only demolish those small town lottery outlets that are encroaching on the roads and sidewalks as these can be considered “nuisance structures.”
Labella warns operators of unauthorized STL outlets that the police and city government will continue to go after them.
/dbs
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