Baguio folk express opposition vs STL operation

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – The application to operate a Small Town Lotto or STL in this city is virtually dead after none of its proponents showed up during the public hearing Tuesday morning, a city councilor said. The quote came from Baguio City councilor Richard Carino, committee chairman on Games and Amusement, who chaired the hearing on the STL. Instead of STL proponents - the Green2 Corporation - more than 200 multi-sectoral leaders attended the public hearing which featured more than a dozen speakers who took turns lambasting the evils of gambling. Before an STL operation is initiated in an area, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) will have to get an endorsement of the local government. In a rare display of unity, religious leaders from the mainline evangelical Christians, Fellowships and Pentecostal groups, and even the Muslim faith expressed their opposition to the STL. The groups have cited moral and spiritual arguments against the STL, which is similar to jueteng. Some of the speakers came from the academe, the elderly sector, women’s groups and boy scouts and girl scouts emotionally relayed to at least six councilors present their frustration over attempts to introduce STL. Catholic Bishop Carlito Cenzon of Baguio city was elated over the united front against legal gambling but he expressed frustration over jueteng operators who take advantage of poverty. Cenzon however lamented that jueteng can not be stopped for as long as Roman Catholics do not believe in their Priest and they continue to patronize the illegal numbers game jueteng. The Catholic leader chided City Mayor Reinaldo Bautista for his comment that it will be okay for casino in Baguio for as long as it provide a thousand job. Cenzon said that is bad language because money is the one talking. “The end never justify the means", Cenzon concluded. Even Muslim religious leader Imam Bedejim Abdulah representing the Muslim community in the city expressed moral corruption of gambling. Lawyer Alex Bangsoy, spokesman of the multisectoral group now calling themselves BLIST Transformation Network disproved all arguments favoring STL benefits. Unfortunately not one stood up to rebut the anti-STL arguments. All six councilors present avoided public comments but Councilors Galo Weygan and Poppo Cosalan who are both fellowship pastors insinuated their opposition. The two were joined by Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda who is closely identified with the Christian Women’s League and other women’s groups who expressed opposition to the STL operation. - GMANews.TV