Since public office implies moral responsibility before God and people, small town lottery should thus be opposed by public leaders and the people, Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra said in a letter to Mayor Evelio Leonardia.

The Bishop said STL is immoral and detrimental to people's welfare and that proper and responsible action on the matter should be taken by public servants.

A copy of the letter, including the Bishop's pastoral letter on STL, was submitted to the Sangguniang Panlungsod yesterday.

Navarra said "We need to oppose STL for the damage it may cause our people." He said gambling, such as STL, is immoral as it steals the money of the poor and makes the Filipino rely more on luck instead of hard work, perseverance, transparency and accountability.

Navarra called on all the parish priests to spearhead ongoing reflection sessions on STL with their parish leaders and parishioners, on how to stop it and how to gather information on the status of STL in their locality. He also called on his followers not to patronize STL and to campaign against it to discourage those spearheading or patronizing it.

Leonardia had said earlier that he will wait for the final position of the SP before making his official stand on the matter.

The SP had deferred action on the resolution of the Liga ng mga Barangay asking the city to allow the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office to operate STL in the 61 barangays of Bacolod City, for further study and public hearings.

The Liga resolution was signed by 52 barangay captains who were in favor of STL.

Meanwhile, the Barangay Council of Brgy. Mansilingan passed a resolution on Jan. 16 opposing the proposal by some members of the Liga ng mga Barangay and asking the members of the SP not to allow the operation of STL in the city, specifically in Brgy. Mansilingan.*CGS

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