PNP chief favors STL abolition

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Alan Purisima admitted jueteng remains an issue that has tainted the image of the PNP.

Purisima said he favors the outright cancellation of all small town lottery (STL) programs, which “illegalistas” use as a front for their illegal gambling operations.

“They have a shield (in the form of the STL), which is why it is very difficult to apprehend them,” Purisima told News 5.

“What we are trying to do right now is to remove that shield that covers the illegalistas (illegal gambling operators),” he said.

Purisima pointed out the legal shield – the STL operations – ties the hands of the lawmen in making arrests.

“Our policemen might face harassment cases if they arrest them,” he said.

Purisima said it is common knowledge that illegal gambling operators have applied and secured licenses to operate from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) to run the STL, much like jueteng, the illegal lottery game.

But even after they secured the legitimacy to operate the numbers game, some operators maintained the illegal gambling operations.

Some STL operators hold “illegal draws,” which earn them more but they only remit a very small fraction of their earnings to the PCSO.

“For example, if you have a collection of P100 and you will only remit P10, this means you gained P90, that is illegal – the P10 is legal,” he said.

He stressed STL operations were used by the illegal gambling operators as the shield to protect the illicit activities.

Purisima said that under the resolution of the National Police Commission (Napolcom), the PNP cannot raid STL operators who are suspected of being used as fronts of illegal gambling, except if there is a formal request from the PCSO, or if the franchise holder requests police action.

“It (Napolcom resolution) was stated as if they are presumed legal unless we can prove otherwise. It is difficult to prove… so there was no way to prove they were illegal,” Purisima said.

Purisima said he would discuss his proposal with PCSO to cancel all STL contracts.

If the PCSO does not favor his proposal, then the PCSO should require all operators to declare their whole income and failure to do so can mean cancellation of their franchises.

“We just cancel our contracts with them... we will be communicating with them (PCSO) and they know this problem,” Purisima said.

“If we will legalize, they are required to declare all of that – there should be no room for the illegalistas to maneuver,” he said.

He said the PNP’s preference is cancellation of contracts so there can be an honest to goodness campaign against illegal gambling.

“We can take the blame for our failure to curb illegal gambling but we are determined to stop it,” Purisima said.

Purisima noted reports that the issue of jueteng might have triggered the turf war between illegal gambling lords in the region that could have led to the killing of 13 people in Atimonan, Quezon last Jan. 6.