BAGUIO CITY – Twenty-eight illegal Small Town Lottery (STL) bookies have been convicted for illegal bet collection in the province of Benguet.

The Regional Trial Court of Benguet said 27 illegal bet collectors were sentenced from August to December 2023. The 28th was convicted on January 26, 2024.
They all pleaded guilty for violating Presidential Decree 1602 as amended by Republic Act 9287 (illegal bet collection) and were sentenced to jail terms and community service.
STL is legally operated by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).
PCSO Baguio-Benguet Branch Manager Ernieli Rosete Pampuan-Dancel said their mandate is to protect the legal businesses of the government and they have instructed law enforcement agencies to arrest STL bookies or illegal bet collectors.