Butuan Prelate Urges PCSO to Stop STL

MANILA, July 23, 2010- Butuan Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos called on the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) to stop the operations of the small town lottery (STL) in the province.

The prelate made the appeal after the start of the STL operation in the provinces of Butuan and Cabadbaran last month without any consultations.

Pueblos said the decision of PCSO to establish STL operations in the province is "highly questionable and immoral," because people were not properly consulted.

The bishop, however, said "has the PCSO conducted consultations, it would have found significant disagreements to gambling operations here and in areas where it has launched STL."

He further said that the PCSO should have provided them a moratorium before the government commenced the STL operations.

"The STL operations in Butuan and Cabadbaran cities were done without undergoing consultations and without hearing the sentiments of the people. I hope there is a moratorium on the operations."

Small Town Lottery (STL) is a government-run form of gambling that is being operated in Butuan and a nearby town in Agusan del Norte.

In an earlier report, it said that the STL operations in Butuan and Cabadbaran were the first for the government-run lottery in Mindanao since it was launched in Luzon a few years ago. (Kate Laceda)