Friday, June 01, 2007 No permit issued for La Trinidad bingo den By Jane Cadalig
LA TRINIDAD Mayor Nestor Fongwan clarified on Thursday that the local government has not issued any permit for the operation of a bingo social in a barangay here.
Fongwan said he never issued a permit for the operation of a carnival in Betag, which was earlier opposed by residents here through a petition.
The mayor said he has ordered the municipal police and Betag Barangay Chairman Pedro Golocan Jr. to be vigilant and not to allow any move to put up facilities for the carnival.
Betag residents earlier manifested their opposition to the set-up of bingo social operations in their area, alleging that the operator is only using the bingo den as a front for illegal gambling.
They said in a petition addressed to Golocan that the operator was denied a permit to operate in Otek Street and within the Tabora Park along Magsaysay Avenue in Baguio City.
"I find the petition unfair because it was passed even if the carnival is not operating yet," Fongwan said.
He said the governor recommended for the approval of the carnival operation last February but that the Municipal Government did not approve the request.
Betag residents, in their petition, said a carnival was being established in a vacant lot at the back of the Kilometer 6 Hardware and asked local officials not to allow the operation.
