STL operators have yet to meet op-resumption requirements –PCSO

No Small Town Lottery (STL) authorized agent corporation (AAC) has so far complied with the requirements for them to continue with their operations, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) said on Tuesday.

PCSO General Manager Royina Garma revealed the situation during a House Committee on Games and Amusements hearing, a few days after she announced that President Rodrigo Dutere had lifted the suspension on STL operations.

"So ngayon, walang STL dapat na nag-ooperate anywhere dito sa ating bansa. Wala pang nag-comply. Our office is now open for them to comply, lahat yun, and it was already announced to them," the PCSO GM testified.

Garma earlier said that AACs that were compliant with the conditions of their STL agency agreement and have been remitting their guaranteed minimum monthly retail receipts could operate, provided that they complied with the following conditions:

• The AACs shall deposit with the PCSO a cash bond equivalent to three months of the PCSO’s share in the Guaranteed Minimum Monthly Retail Receipts (GMMRR) on top of their existing cash bonds.
• Upon failure to timely and fully remit their GMMRR during the duration of operations, the AACs' cash bond equivalent to three months of the PCSO’s share in the GMMRR shall be automatically forfeited in favor of PCSO, without prejudice to the other remedies that may be exercised by the government.
• Each AAC shall execute a written undertaking that it shall comply with its obligations under the STL agency agreement and will not institute any claims, monetary or otherwise, against the government, and/or apply for a temporary restraining order or injunction from any court to prevent the government from exercising its rights and prerogatives.
• The STL agency agreement shall automatically be terminated upon violation of the conditions of their franchise and/or any of the above conditions without prejudice to the other remedies that may be exercised by the government.

Garma, however, said that some AAC have already paid their dues to the government.

She said she already sent a letter to the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation over the lifting of the suspension order on STL operations.

"However, we have not authorized or issued any order that this STL agents will resume their operations because they have not complied with the requirements of the President yet," the GM emphasized.

Duterte in July suspended all of PCSO's gaming operations with franchises, licenses, or permits granted by the PCSO due to alleged corruption.

A few days later, he lifted the suspension on the PCSO's lotto games. — DVM, GMA News