STL-Iloilo ceases operation
ILOILO CITY — The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) had terminated and canceled the Small Town Lottery (STL) agreement it had with Eagle Crest Gaming and Holding Corporation for the operations of PCSO's STL in Iloilo province.
PCSO Resolution No. 0118, Series of 2018 declared that its authorized agent corporation (AAC) for Iloilo, which is Eagle Crest, has failed to comply with the "post approval requirements pursuant to the pertinent provisions of 2016 Revised IRR, through Resolution No. 0023 (2018)."
It states that "failure to attain and/ or remit the presumptive monthly retail receipt (PMRR) on time shall result to termination of the STL agreement." The PMRR is the amount determined by the PCSO as the “presumed minimum monthly sales of an ACC, which shall be subject to monthly review.”
Eagle Crest set its PMRR at P89,543,961 or an average of P3 million a day. But records showed that it had a PMRR shortfall of P554,112,552.60 (from January to December 2017), and P106,287,981 shortfall from January to February this year.
Last March 22, a notice of termination was sent to Eagle Crest, which was also given five days to file its motion for reconsideration on the resolution. At that time, its balance based on its shortfall was more than P256.5 million, after making an updated payment of P3 million. If its cash bond of P89,543,961 will be deducted, then its PMRR balance due would amount to close to P167 million.
Eagle Crest proposed to pay its PMRR shortfall on installment computed at P3 million per month until full payment. In its motion for reconsideration, Eagle Crest argued that its PMRR has never been practicable and viable due to the existence of illegal number games, or bookies, in its area.
Eagle Crest also cited lack of assistance by the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) in stopping the illegal number games, and non-cooperation of local government units in the province.
Eagle Crest also justified that, from the start of its operations on April 23 last year, it was only holding two draws per day and one draw every Sunday, which means that its PMRR — pegged at three draws per day — was too steep and unattainable for two-draw operations.
The PCSO board, in its regular meeting last April 16, however “resolved to deny (Eagle Crest’s) motion for reconsideration” and “terminate with finality its authorization to be PCSO's STL-AAC” in Iloilo province.
The recent event was considered another big blow to Eagle Crest's operation, following the ambush of its president, Samuel Aguilar, by ridingin-tandem assailants last March 13 at Tigbauan town in Iloilo. .
Samuel died four days later while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Iloilo City. His wife, Marie Mae, the firm’s chief finance officer, stood as Eagle Crest’s representative in filing the motion for reconsideration.