No, no, no, no to STL

I cannot take my mind off from the proposed Small Town Lottery by government. The problem is our people are indifferent.

My British friend Neil Honeyman texted me when I wrote our people are indecisive on the charter change. He said, not indecisive. They are indifferent.

Now, here comes the question of STL invading the small towns and we just don't care. Let us raise our fists against it. Let us not be indifferent.

But Neil also texted me, after my quoting William Blake, "If Blake is correct and a nation is built from its gamblers and its whores, then the Philippines should have the most advanced infrastructures in the planet."

It's coming out, if implemented STL will actually be jueteng and even worse. Jueteng is illegal but STL is legal so that poor people will be robbed legally.

STL will not be operated by government like lottery. The franchise will be bidded to private operators. So, it will be the old jueteng operators who will get it.

In jueteng, there is a combination of only 38 numbers. In STL, it is combination of 40 numbers. This means in jueteng, a bettor has one chance over 54,872 combinations. But in STL a bettor has one chance over 64,000 combinations. Is this not highway robbery? So, happy days are here again for the old jueteng lords. Jueteng lords can afford the franchise and the capitalization of P10 million and a deposit of another P5 million. How much is the franchise has not been revealed. But that is where the take is.

* * *

These old jueteng operators have the experience and expertise. Not only the STL. They can run along with STL their own jueteng.

In STL, from the gross income will be deducted percentages for the province, the town, the police and others leaving a small amount for the winner.

So, you are lucky if with one chance to win in a combination of 64,000 you are given P10,000 for your one peso. Robbery really.

They will make jueteng more attractive to the poor. In STL the minimum bet is 50 centavos. In jueteng it is 25 centavos.

The operator can also cheat the government by misdeclaring the gross income of the operation. And government auditors can be bribed all the time.

The other danger is the cheating on the winning number. What will stop the operator from making the combination with the least bets win? This is being done by jueteng operators.

* * *

But the greatest danger is in the power of war lords. STL operators have the money. They can control local officials, local police, judges, prosecutors, and even media.

They can even support the Army assigned in the area.

So, they will be untouchable.

We must recall Mayor Antonio Sanchez of Calauan, Laguna. He was the jueteng operator in southern Luzon. He had the police and all the officials in his payroll.

He became abusive and he raped a U.P. student having a date with her boyfriend and had the two killed. Of course, Sanchez is now languishing in jail sentenced to death by Judge Harriet Demetriou. He is a symbol of an executive who was spoiled by money from jueteng.

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Will the opening of STL not open the floodgates to the same warlordism? It will.

We still have not taken the reaction of our officials. What does Gov. Joseph Marañon think of this? How about the Congressmen? And the mayors? And the barangay leaders too?

For sure, they will get regular amounts from the STL operators. That's how corruption works.

And even some priests who might be interested in receiving donations to the Church.

That is why there is a need for Bishop Vicente Navarra to come up with a reaction to STL. It is a better idea to nip it in the bud meanwhile that it has not started yet.

We understand Malacañang Chief of Staff Mike Defensor and DILG Secretary Puno are very excited. Who will not be?

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It's already too much that government has neglected the rural areas, the small towns, their farmers not being helped. Now here comes government robbing them through STL.

Why have STL in Negros? We have eradicated daily double here already. And our police are doing their best and are effective. If they cannot do it in Luzon we are stopping jueteng in Visayas. Let them have STL in Luzon. We don't need it here.

* * *

I am happy Police Director Pete Merced has shown some firm hand in the enforcement of traffic rules.

Motorists should follow traffic rules. And those who do not must be meted the proper punishment. It's only being consistent.

When motorists see the police are consistent, they will comply with the rules.

What we just need are traffic enforces who know the rules on traffic and must show seriousness.

I have always said, discipline in a city is first seen in how the traffic flows and how motorists obey traffic rules.*

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