Vice Gov to NBI: Probe STL's link to congressmen

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — Negros Occidental Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez Jr. has requested the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in this city to investigate the alleged giving of shares from small town lottery (STL) to some congressmen of the province the past years.

In his letter to NBI-Bacolod head Jose Ermie Monsanto Monday, Alvarez said he would like the agency to make an investigation or background check also on the operations of Super Lucky Beagle, the operator of the controversial STL in the province.

Alvarez said his name, when he was a congressman, along with Reps. Julio Ledesma IV (1st district), Alfredo Maranon III (2nd district), Jose Carlos Lacson (3rd district) and Ignacio Arroyo (5th district) were implicated in a report of The Philippine Star saying they allegedly benefited from STL operations.

On July 21, The Philippine Star reported that 54 congressmen allegedly benefited from STL operations from 2007 to 2010, and five of them were from Negros Occidental.

Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office director Aleta Tolentino was quoted by The Philippine Star as saying that STL operators directly remitted to the congressmen their share of the STL sales representing 2.25 percent of the net proceeds from the areas where they operate.

Alvarez denied the report saying, "The unsubstantiated allegations stated in the news article have no truth and I am deeply disturbed as to why my name was mentioned." - THE FREEMAN