Small town lottery attempts comback in Baguio

2 MIN READ

BAGUIO CITY (Apr. 29) – Not really dead, an attempt for an Small Town Lottery (STL) operation in the city is springing back to life after its failed bid mid last year.

Green 2 Corporation again wrote the city council to favor “test runs” in the city, unluckily though, in Monday’s regular session of the 14-member city council failed to discuss it.

On April 14, a certain Jaime Mangahas, president of the Green 2 Corp., the same firm that attempted the city council’s favorable response on July 2007, asked the latter’s authority for “test runs” of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) STL project.

Mangahas also asked the legislative body, who apparently sat down on several STL proposals in the past because of public pressure against all forms of gambling including legalized ones; to manage and operate the actual test runs in the city.

Councilor Richard Cariño, head of the laws committee where the STL proposal was referred to opted to bring the issue to an en banc decision, thus Monday’s supposed regular session’s number 59 agenda.

After the May polls, then newly-elected city Vice-mayor Daniel Fariñas said STL proposals can be entertained once again as long as it will be within the usual process.

This after STL operators-applicants wanted to lurk in the shadows via the local legislature with the help of two “graduating” legislators.

Such efforts to ram through an STL “test run” however turned futile when it was deferred, then inadvertently scratched out of the city council’s agenda during the last session of the old council before the new set of councilors took over on July 2, 2007.

Then Desita Garcia, manager of the same Green 2 Corp. on September 1, 2006, asked then acting City Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. to approve a “test run”.

Also on October 13, 2006 another letter by a second proponent named as Alexander Trinidad, president and chairman of D New Ace Builders Corporation requested amendments to a city ordinance on STL operations in the city; an issuance of a resolution condemning jueteng and permanently erasing such via endorsing STL operations in the city.

Not contented, another letter on November 19, also in 2006 by Orville M. Roque, president of JOECALF Amusement Corporation, was received by the city mayor intending to operate STL.

Pending discussions by city councilors however, is Mayor Bautista’s firm stand against gambling in the city as he vowed he will veto any measure to allow gambling.

Bautista earlier wanted all games of chance applications pending in the council to be put on hold, as he made a gentleman’s agreement with the old council members.

With the composition of the new set of councilors, however, with four of those who agreed against STL with him, the ball rests on the city council composed mostly of lawyers.# Ace Alegre for NORDIS