Duterte lifts suspension on STL, with conditions

Friday 23rd of August 2019

President Rodrigo Duterte has lifted the suspension on small town lottery (STL) operations but has set out conditions for their resumption, local media reports.

In a video posted on Facebook on Thursday, Philippine Charity for Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) General Manager Royina Garma said the President had lifted the suspension as the STL authorized agent corporations were compliant with the conditions of the STL agency agreement and has been remitting its guaranteed minimum retail receipts.

However, one of the conditions for the resumption of operations is for Authorized Agent Corporations (AAC) to deposit a cash bond “equivalent to three months of the PCSO’s share in the guaranteed minimum monthly [retail] receipts.”

“[This is] on top of their existing cash bonds,” Garma explained.

Another condition would be the forfeiture of these cash bonds if the AACs do not remit their share the government on time.

The third condition is that each AAC will execute a written undertaking that it will comply with its obligations under the STL-agency agreement, and will not not institute any claims, monetary or otherwise against the government, and/ or apply a temporary restraining order from any court to prevent the government from exercising its rights and prerogatives,” she added.

“The foregoing conditions shall be applied to other AACs that may be allowed to resume operations,” she said.

STL operations were suspended by order of the President in July, due to allegations of massive corruption in the PCSO. The ban was later lifted, but only on lotto operations.