URDANETA CITY—The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) did not issue a permit to Peryahan ng Bayan of Globaltech Mobile Online Corporation (GMOC) to operate Small Town Lottery (STL) in Pangasinan.

This was clarified by PCSO General Manager Alexander Balutan in a press statement sent to Speedgame Inc. (SGI) headed by Edward Aguilar, the authorized agent corporation (AAC) to operate STL in the province.

In that statement, Balutan also urged the Philippine National Police and the National 

Bureau of Investigation to stop the illegal gambling activity of the GMOC and to arrest their employees if they are engaged in STL games since they have no permit to operate STL.

Balutan reiterated that only the SGI group has been allowed to operate STL in Pangasinan since December 18, 2017, and a certification stating that only the SGI has a permit to operate STL was issued on January 4, 2019.

SGI is presently operating the STL with the assistance of PCSO employees who are conducting draws for the winning numbers at the established draw court in Barangay Anonas in Urdaneta City.

Balutan again issued a certification on January 18 this year that the operation and the Deed of Authority (DOA) granted by former PCSO General Manager Ferdinand Rojas to the GMOC management on April 2,2014 was already terminated by virtue of Resolution No.51 which was approved by the board of directors on February 17, 2016.

Since the termination and expiration of the DOA on March 31, 2016 issued to GMOC, PCSO said it had not authorized any other entity to operate Peryahan ng Bayan, Balutan said. 

PCSO charged that GMOC failed to remit billions of pesos of sales in the National Capital Region and in the provinces of Catanduanes, Rizal, Palawan, Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, Negros Occidental, Cebu, Bohol, Agusan del Sur, Misamis Oriental, South
Cotabato, Zamboanga del Sur, and Pangasinan from July 6 to December 31, 2015.

The Regional Trial Court in Pasig City also denied GMOC’s petition for a temporary restraining order and PCSO maintains the January 15, 2019 decision of the Appeals that there was no order allowing the GMOC to operate STL in Pangasinan.

The dispositive portion of the decision states: “Wherefore premises considered both petitions in CA-GSP No. 151727 and CA- G.R. SP No. 154056 are dismissed. The orders dated April  24, 2017, October 11, 2016, May 17, 2016 are affirmed. The parties are directed to forthwith submit themselves to arbitration conformably with the term of their written agreement and A.M. No. 07-11-08-SC of the Special Rules of Court on Alternative Dispute Resolution”

The GMOC, headed by Efren Fajardo, however, claims the CA decision allows it to operate STL in Pangasinan.

Earlier, Balutan issued a commendation to the SGI management for being one of the Top 10 operators of the STL which remitted more than P2 billion in taxes to the government. (Leonardo Micua) 

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