PHILIPPINE Charity Sweepstakes Office general manager Alexander Balutan urged the country’s mayors on Tuesday to promote the expanded Small Town Lottery and told them coddlers of illegal numbers games face prosecution and disqualification from public office if they fail to stop them.
“PCSO’s partnership with local government units is very crucial in the fight against the operation of jueteng, masiao, last-two, swertres, among others. I’m urging you to help the Duterte administration eradicate these corrupt-laden gambling activities and let’s just work together to promote and protect our expanded STL operation,” Balutan said.
He said President Rodrigo Duterte recently issued Executive Order No. 13 to battle all forms of illegal numbers games by creating Task Force STL that includes PCSO as member to enforce the 2016 STL Implementing Rules and Regulations.
Balutan said EO 13 gives more muscle to Republic Act 9287, or the illegal gambling law, that was enacted in 2004.
“This law, RA 9287, reminds public officials that they may face more stringent penalties than operators and financiers if they fail to eradicate illegal numbers games,” he said.
“It can mean the end of the road for any career in public office,” Balutan said.
Months before the launching of the expanded STL last Feb. 1, Balutan and PCSO chairman Jose Jorge Corpuz have been coordinating with Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa to “prepare the ground” for STL operation.
Balutan said RA 9287 also mandates an accessory penalty of perpetual disqualification from public office, if found guilty.
“The PCSO will also prosecute police officials who ignore Executive Order 13,”Balutan said. “Law enforcers are not exempted as well. Failure to apprehend perpetrators can lead to an administrative penalty of suspension or dismissal.”
Balutan aired the warning in a move to stop jueteng which continues in some areas.
Balutan said each day jueteng is allowed to operate means a loss of millions in government revenue that could fund the administration’s charity services and health programs for all, through STL.
At present, the expanded STL has 56 Authorized Agent Corporations in active operation that could generate up to P27 billion worth of revenue.
He said the nationwide STL operation could also produce less than one million jobs for poor people.
