BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya – “STL-teng”, a hybrid of the illegal jueteng and the PCSO-sanctioned Small Town Lottery, is emerging a week after police raided betting stations in some municipalities to stop the illegal numbers game in the province.
In April, police raided bet operation centers managed by Meridein Vista and Gaming Corp. (MVGC) in Bayombong, Solano and Bagabag which reportedly resulted in the folding up of MVGC in the province.
However, observers said the raids and arrests were only for a show since the illegal numbers game continues to operate in at least 10 towns in the province, including this capital town and the other premier municipalities of Solano, Bambang and Bagabag.
This time, jueteng continue to thrive with new operators reportedly using the PCSO-sanctioned Small Town Lottery or STL as their legal front.
According to sources, “STL-teng” operators here were taking advantage of the supposed to be a “dry run” operation of PCSO’s STL in the province by reopening raided betting stations some even using the logo of the PCSO apparently to deceive bettors.
PCSO officials said they have given a deadline to the provincial police office led by Senior Supt. Leumar Abugan to stop the ongoing illegal numbers game playing combinations of one to 37 or one to 40.
Alexander Balutan, PCSO general manager, explained that the operations of jai alai is one to 10 and if one bets on one to 37, then that is clearly jueteng. Reports said that STL-teng in the province is being run by “personalities” identified with local government officials and ex-military men.
The PCSO-listed Authorized Agent Corporation (AAC) for Nueva Vizcaya is King’s 810 Gaming Corporation, which unable to start its operation due to the resurgence of the illegal numbers game claiming to be a PCSO-sanctioned STL.
Gov. Carlos Padilla has reportedly asked Camp Crame for the stoppage of all illegal gambling in the province.
However, there are reports that some of the local government officials, who think they will not have any gains from STL as income goes direct to PCSO, have already given their blessings for the continued operations of the illegal numbers game.
A well-placed source said that some government officials, who claim to be operating in behalf of top officials in the province, have already asked for cash advances from “STL-teng” operators for their continued operations here. Abe Almirol/Northernforum.net
