The Philippine Star

‘Double Barrel’ targets gambling

- – Christina Mendez, Perseus Echeminada, Paolo Romero

From a controvers­ial war against illegal drugs, the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippine­s (AFP) are now zeroing in on a war against illegal gambling – a campaign that would target operators, local government officials and police.

Dubbed the PNP Operation Plan Double Barrel on Illegal Gambling, both the PNP and AFP were tapped to ensure that the expanded Small Town Lottery ( STL) operations of the Philippine Charity Sweepstake­s Office (PCSO) will be successful enough to deter operators from continuing

illegal operations.

Deputy Director General Ramon Apolinario, PNP deputy director for operations, said the focus would be on operators, bettors and police protectors of the illegal gambling games, such as jueteng and masiao.

He added that politician­s would not be spared in the revitalize­d anti-illegal gambling plan.

“We have been pushing our intelligen­ce units together with the AFP intelligen­ce units to identify these personalit­ies. We are not tolerating it,” said Apolinario, adding that the operation would be patterned after the PNP’s intensifie­d campaign against drugs, which had become a concern among human rights groups here and abroad.

The PCSO revealed yesterday that it has expanded STL operations from 18 franchise holders to more than 50 nationwide.

Unlike when President Duterte openly called on the police to shoot drug personalit­ies who would resist police during operations, Apolinario said they have no marching orders to kill illegal gambling operators.

“Stop all and arrest all illegal gambling operators. The bettors will be arrested and hailed to court,” Apolinario said in a briefing at Malacañang yesterday.

He warned the public that the PNP would be strict in implementi­ng Republic Act 9284, which increased the penalties for illegal numbers games.

In the same press briefing, PCSO general manager Alexander Balutan said the PCSO is stepping up its STL operations as part of the government’s efforts to stamp out corruption within the agency.

“It is no secret to anyone that illegal gambling has been the scourge of this country for the longest time, spawning corruption in different agencies and levels of government,” Balutan, a former military officer turned coup plotter during the previous administra­tion, said.

“Today, we declare that the small town lottery is the only legal and authorized numbers game nationwide. To all illegal gambling operators, we offer you both an invitation and a warning: Go legal. We expect some form of resistance. We expect that the PCSO will be under fire and undermined by those who benefit most from illegal gambling. We are ready,” Balutan added.

Funds generated from the expanded STL would benefit the government’s health program, initiative­s and medical services, especially those geared toward helping the poor and the marginaliz­ed.

The PCSO hopes to generate about P27.8 billion from STL this year. In 2015 and 2016, the 18 operators generated P4.7 billion.

PCSO chairman Jorge Corpuz, a retired police general, said the operators of jueteng in Luzon, masiao in the Visayas and “last two” in Mindanao could form themselves into a corporatio­n and apply with the PCSO to make their operations legal.

The existing gaming corporatio­ns, according to PCSO records, are currently operating in the provinces of Bataan, Bulacan, Ilocos Norte, Isabela, Nueva Ecija, Zambales, Tarlac, Batangas, Laguna, Mindoro, Quezon, Sorsogon, Negros Occidental, Iloilo and Bohol. They also operate in Olongapo, Angeles and San Fernando cities in Pampanga.

Meanwhile, Sen. Panfilo Lacson backed yesterday the calls to amend the PCSO charter and make it more responsive to the latest developmen­ts of the gaming industry.

He said various forms of statespons­ored games and legal forms of gambling have emerged since the PCSO charter was written in 1954 and amended in 1979.

“What the PCSO does now has no basis in the old (charter). The charter is very old, and it talks only of sweepstake­s. Now, we have the STL. We really have to amend the charter, introduce a new (one) to adapt to the times,” Lacson, chairman of the Senate committee on games and amusement, told reporters after a hearing on illegal gambling.

The STL, he added, is not mentioned in the PCSO charter. He also said that although the government issued revised implementi­ng rules and regulation­s and an executive order for STL, these issuances are not enough.

Lacson said the legal basis for STL should be revised to legalize it and allow the congressio­nal districts to receive a share from the proceeds. The amendments could also help prevent the STL from being hijacked by illegal gambling operators.

He pointed out that although the PCSO issued franchises to operate STL, many of those who have obtained licenses are also suspected to be conducting illegal gambling.

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