By the Bohol Chronicle
Despite the promise of revenue shares to local government units and to provide more jobs to Boholanos, the Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO) believes the move to allow the entry of small town lottery (STL) would only bring more trouble in the province.
Bohol Police Director SSupt. Edgardo Ingking said the entry of STL to be operated by a private company and supervised by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) would only introduce a new kind of illegal numbers game that will be patterned and based on STL results.
The statement of Ingking came few days after the biggest swertres financier in the province was arrested last Friday. Barangay Capt. Manolo Blanco of Mansasa, this city was cornered at his residence where operatives from the regional intelligence division seized the amount of P586,715 together with tally sheets and cellfones used in swertres operations.
The raid was conducted amid reports that the city PNP has not proven itself in its war against illegal gambling. In fact, there is also no apprehension of big-time financiers of swertres in the city and towns as well, aside from the Blanco raid conducted by operatives from Cebu.
RID chief SSupt. Melvin Buenafe said the Bohol PNP asked the assistance of PRO-7. Gen Federico Terte assigned the group of Buenafe to conduct intelligence gathering until they operated last Friday.
Ingking said he already submitted a position paper expressing his opposition to the introduction of small town lotto to the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC).
"I don't honestly believe STL will help eliminate the existing illegal numbers game such as 'swertres', instead this will only worsen illegal gambling," Ingking stressed.
Illegal gambling financiers and operators would only exploit the legalized STL to device an illegal version, according to Ingking.
Town mayors in the province remain divided over the issue whether to allow STL to operate in their towns. However, several mayors have already declared their support to its entry as the local government units stand to benefit from its proceeds in the form of infrastructure projects and social programs.
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