DILG to Review Small Town Lottery Operation in Bikol

LEGAZPI CITY, July 22 - The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Bikol said it would review the legality and operation of the Meridien Vista Gaming Corp. (MVGC), a franchise holder of the Small Town Lottery (STL) of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) in the provinces of Albay, Sorsogon, Camarines Sur, and Camarines Norte.The review was prompted by Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo's marching order to stamp out illegal gambling activities in the countryside specifically "jueteng," an illegal numbers game that has been in operations for decades.

Blandino Maceda, DILG regional director, said his agency will look into the legal operation of the Meridien following reports that the gaming outfit is operating as a jueteng front disguised as an STL gaming outlet.

Maceda said the agency would enforce legal and administrative sanctions once it has proven that the MVGC is operating under the disguise of jueteng and violating PCSO established policies and standards.

The DILG will recommend to the PNP to use its power to put an end to this illegal numbers game, he said.

Reports gathered that the Sangguniang Panalawigan of Albay, Camarines Sur and Norte and other cities and towns have endorsed and approved the operation of Meriedien Vista Gaming Corp., an online jai-alai type betting game.

Meriedien is registered and operates under the rules and regulations standards set by the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) and the Local Government Code of the Philippines including the PCSO.

But reports said the CEZA has canceled the permit of MVGC after the Department of Justice issued an opinion against the gaming firm's operation.

CEZA, a government-owned and -controlled corporation established in 1995 is in charge of developing and managing the 54,000-hectare CSEZFP, an economic and tourism hub in Sta. Ana, Cagayan province. It has powers to grant licenses for casino and gaming operations within the economic zone.

At a press conference yesterday, Dondy Bilason, president of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Press Corps Bicol, told the DILG that unlike the legitimate STL operation which draws bet collection directly from their outlets, MVGC employs collectors popularly known as "cobrador" soliciting bets in the streets and going house to house.

Bilason said STL outlets issue bet receipts while MVGC collectors do not.

He said that if indeed the game is legal, there is no need for bet collectors as the bettors will have to go to the betting stations since it is an online game.

Reports said MVGC is raking in tens of millions in pesos in daily draws in Bikol while hundreds of thousands in dividends are given to each local chief executive in weekly payoff.

In Albay, members of the SP are moving for the cancellation of MVGC permit to operate for the firm's failure to comply with the remittance condition as stated in the agreement.

MVGC had been operating in Albay, Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte for the past two years. (PNA)