Monday, November 05, 2007 Lawmaker urges mayor to reject STL By Gil Alfredo B. Severino
AFTER majority of Bacolod City councilors passed the resolution endorsing STL (Small Town Lottery) operations in Bacolod to the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) through the Mayor's Office, Rep. Monico Puentevella challenged Mayor Evelio Leonardia to reject the controversial numbers game.
Puentevella said he will support the stand of the Catholic Church especially that of Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra in opposing STL in Bacolod.
"He should reject STL if his (Leonardia) sense of morality is strong enough," the legislator said.
On the other hand, Fr. Aniceto Buenafe, head of the Social Action Center of the Diocese of Bacolod, disclosed that they've already asked Leonardia to veto the resolution.
But the mayor said they will talk about the matter later.
Buenafe, however, said in case the City Government will permit STL to operate in Bacolod, the Church will meet with its leaders next week and will draft its course of actions against this controversial numbers game.
Puentevella, on the other hand, expressed dismay over the mayor's "extreme" silence over the issue.
He cited the case of Super Lucky Beagler whose application Leonardia could reject if his sense of morality is strong enough.
"Instead what the mayor did was to play around and let the City Council endorse the controversial thing and eventually, for all we know, he will wash his hands off this STL matter," Puentevella said.
He reiterated that his office will reject the 2.5 percent allocation intended for his congressional office from proceeds of STL as revealed by Raymond Catedral, operations officer of Super Lucky Beagler.
"I don't need the money, I will reject it. I have survived without any help from anyone. Maybe the councilors and the mayor need the money for the upcoming campaign. That's why they are so excited in approving it," Puentevella said.
Among those who endorsed STL were Councilors Alex Paglumotan, Al Victor Espino, Roberto Rojas, Dindo Ramos, Arturo Parreno and Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson.
Meanwhile, in an interview over Aksyon Radyo, Bacolod City Police Office Chief Ronilo Quebrar denied the existence of a highly-financed gambling syndicate in Bacolod.
Quebrar said, "What we have here are insignificant apprehensions of tong-its. No-permit cock fighting, streetside "tumbo" and even daily double cannot be felt now."
