A lotto operator doing business in Dumaguete without a mayor's permit voluntarily stopped operating it after being issued a warning by the city government.

City legal officer Neil Ray Lagahit said the lotto outlet operated by Ian Briones voluntarily closed shop while processing his application for the necessary permits, in compliance with Provincial Ordinance No. 4 and City Ordinance No. 125.

Despite the action, the City Legal Office is still sending the cease-and-desist order of the mayor to comply with the procedures, and to monitor its compliance.

On Friday, CLOG personnel conducted a test-buy of the lotto outlet which is operating inside a bicycle parts store along Colon and Cervantes streets.

Meanwhile, Mayor Agustin Perdices said yesterday that he was not happy about the illegal operation of the two lotto outlets in the city, which he said were clearly illegal because they have no permit to operate.

He said that even if the operator says that the processing of their permit is going on, it is not proper for them to operate already, because their application has not yet been approved, and they have not complied with requirements yet.

On the allegation that the former lotto outlet which was closed last year is again making business on selling lotto tickets behind their former lotto outlet and store, Perdices said he was disappointed in the implementation of the Provincial Ordinance No. 4 that states the requirements for establishing a lotto outlet in any town or city of the province.

One of the requirements is a public hearing in the place where it will be established to see whether the people there agree with the presence of a lotto outlet.

Perdices said other lotto outlets operate in the city, except that of Mariano Lim, who had filed a case now pending in court.

Religious and other sectors in the community oppose the presence of a lotto outlet and gambling in the city.

Perdices said he challenged the provincial government to implement fully the Provincial Ordinance No. 4 so the people cannot say that it is only Dumaguete City who doesn't want to have a lotto outlet, but also the other local government.*RG/JG

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