Isabela Governor Rodito Albano on Monday said he supports the move among lawmakers of the province to call for a congressional inquiry into the operations of the Small Town Lottery of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office notwithstanding the still unresolved legal issues raised against it.
Albano said lauded the province’s congressmen for their initiative in prioritizing the welfare of their constituents and local government units as they questioned the STL operations in Isabela.
Last week, Isabela 6th District Rep. Faustino “Inno” Dy said lawmaker representing the province have called for an investigation into the STL operations, noting that legal issues surrounding the PCSO’s 2020 STL Revised Implementing Rules and Regulation have yet to be resolved.
Dy said there have also been serious questions raised over the effects of STL operations to the ability of local government units to protect the welfare of their constituents.
In a privilege speech last week, Dy underscored the need for the province “to clarify the laws and regulations regarding the conduct of STL operations.”
This is because of the experience of Cauayan City local government over its order to shut down the Sahara Games and Amusement Philippines Corporation, the STL operator, for failure to secure the mandatory business permits and licenses and for violating the COVID-19 protocols.
Sahara has reportedly took the issue to court as it questioned the authority of the LGU to shut its operations.
It will be recalled that a similar issue was raised by an STL firm against the Quezon City government when the latter rejected the application for business and license applied for by the corporation.
The STL firm later decided to withdraw its case upon realizing that the LGU is indeed authorized to allow or disallow such kind of private business operations within its jurisdiction.
In the case of the Isabela STL operator, Dy said it argued that the 2020 STL RIRR does not require them to secure local business permits.
Dy disputed this claim, explaining in his privilege speech that Sahara, the PCSO's AAC (authorized agent corporation) in Isabela, "is a juridical person, a corporation or a cooperative, with a personality distinct and separate from PCSO."
"It is a private entity which must secure a business permit from the municipalities or cities to where they intend to operate their lotteries."
Dy stressed that local permits "are a basic requirement for all those who conduct business within a particular area, and are a means by which LGUs can ensure that business operations satisfy and comply with the laws and regulations what we in Congress or in their Sanggunian pass."
"Aside from the absence of required permits, Cauayan City officials also discovered that Sahara personnel from outside Isabela had not been respecting and complying with COVID protocols in place to keep Isabelinos safe from the dreaded disease," said neophyte solon said.
According to the solon, "consistent with IATF guidelines, Isabela LGUs have been strictly enforcing quarantines for overseas Filipino workers and locally stranded individuals who enter the province––quarantine restrictions that Sahara personnel have disregarded, putting at risk my province-mates, a worrisome concern given the growing number of COVID-19 cases in Isabela."
"In light of these violations, the Cauayan City government had no choice but to fulfill its duties and shut down STL operations in the city,” he said.