Catholic bishop against STL operation in Antique
San Jose, Antique -- Bishop Romulo dela Cruz of the Diocese of Antique aired the appeal of the Catholic Church to the local officials of Antique to stop Small Time Lottery (STL) operation or any forms of illegal gambling during the recently conducted Peace and Order Council Meeting.
Saying that STL though legal is a cover-up for the illegal number game "jueteng", Bishop Dela Cruz asked, “can we be a country that is morally righteous if we depend on gambling to fund government projects?”
The church official emphasized that the stand of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is against all forms of gambling whether legal or illegal because with STL and jueteng, our poor people become poorer while the gambling payola recipients become twice enriched.
The appeal further stated that: Is it not enough that there are already millions of poor people in the country? Is it not enough that there are men, women and children in the country who no longer eat what they need, when they have to? Is there not enough poverty in the country that the poor should have even less because of STL and jueteng?
With the crackdown, the Philippine National Police in the province claims there's no more STL operating in the province contrary to what is written in various tabloids.
With Bishop Dela Cruz's appeal, Governor Sally Z. Perez again ordered the PNP for a no let-up campaign against all number games or suffer the consequences of a reprimand or transfer outside of the province.
Vice Governor Rhodora Cadiao also echoed the governor's order and said that the Sangguniang Panlalawigan has not approved any application for the STL operation or does it intend to approve one. (PIA)