For a time there was the sudden proliferation of Small Town Lottery (STL) outlets in Davao City. Then a controversy happened which involved a number of STL concessionaires, including some in Davao City. We learned that many operators of STLs failed to remit their daily collections from afficionados’ bets.
This led to the closure of the STL outlets in the city. If we could remember right the padlocking of the outlets happened during the term of then Davao City Mayor (now Vice President) Sara Duterte. And the STL outlets that include betting stalls for those who patronize the SwerTres, the 2-digits, and the 6 digit gambling schemes remained closed until lately except for the clandestine “Last 2” betting stations.
But somehow, we have no idea what really happened. The STL outlets are now back with a vengeance. Even in rural communities, travelers in the areas can now easily notice that the outlets for STL betting have again resurrected to the point that these are installed along barangay roads as closed to every one hundred or two hundred meters apart.
One has only to go to Matina Biao in the third district taking the Catalunan Grande-Tacunan Road. Easily one can count as many as 20 STL outlets along the way and sometimes fronting each other.
What is happening? Is some kind of fund raising activity being conducted to augment election finances? We are asking because we are not aware of any order from the civilian and the police authorities to put a stop to the expanding number of these gambling scheme now affecting even families that can hardly feed themselves at this time of serious economic crisis.
And by the way who is the biggest operator of STL outlets in Davao City? We know him by name, but we wonder if the local authorities can touch the guy even with a ten-foot pole.
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A newly retired police general has been bluntly open in his call on the Filipino people to kick out from Congress lawmakers representing what he calls organizations with leaning to the ideologist New People’s Army.
Yes, Ret. Brig. Gen. Filmore Escoval, former PNP XI Regional Director said in a recent statement published in the local media that the said Partylist lawmakers do not deserve being in Congress. Our take on Gen. Escobal’s apparent dislike to the Partylist lawmakers mostly members of the Makabayan Bloc, is that while they are supposed to represent the people they are more concerned of bringing to the halls of Congress the interest of the left-leaning organizations they represent.
Of course the actuations of the left-inspired lawmakers are clearly manifested by the more vocal among them like ACT-Teachers Representative France Castro, Kabataan’s Rep. Manuel, and Bayan’s Congresswoman Arlene Brosas.
The three have no qualm is lambasting Vice President Sara Duterte who they know was doing damage to the Makabayan lawmakers’ causes when she was co-chair of the LTF-LCAC.
It is our assumption that Retired General Escoval knows very well the agenda of the Makabayan Partylist lawmakers because he’s been with the police organization for so long and therefore well aware of the motives of the Makabayan bloc congressmen and congresswomen.
Meaning, Brig. Gen. Escoval knows exactly whereof he speaks.
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Lumads who normally “invade” downtown Davao City during the Christmas season beware!
The Davao City Police Office (DCPO) personnel and the workers of the City Social Services and Development Office (CSSDO), are on the lookout to make sure that your lives will not be in danger while in the city’s downtown area running after vehicles to ask for gifts from passengers or drivers.
The offices concerned are tasked by the local government to “rescue” the lumads and bring them back to their respective places of origin mostly in the highland communities of the Marilog and Paquibato districts. Some come from as far as the fastness of the forested areas in Talaingod in Davao del Norte.
The question however is whether or not the lumads are willing to be “rescued” by the local police and civilian authorities knowing that for now they may not have even attained half of their desired objective in the city.
Perhaps the local government has to do some alternative action like giving the lumads something to bring back home. We are certain they will not be easily convinced to go back to their places of origin if they get nothing except the free ride on dump trucks for their easier travel back home.
And while begging and roaming around city streets is in violation to certain city ordinance, the police and the civilian authorities cannot afford to detain them unless they have the facilities to house the lumads and the food to feed them while in incarceration even for just a few days.
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