Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said it is the look out of Tangub barangay captain Noli Villarosa to respond to the complaint filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) against him for being an alleged “financier” of illegal Small Town Lottery (STL) operations.
Benitez said he was surprised because he had no reports about that, but the NBI must have their basis for whatever their doing.
It would be up to Villarosa to clear his name and prove it in the proper forum, he said.
Benitez said barangay captains should not participate in anything that is illegal.
The NBI filed criminal charges against Villarosa, and Kabankalan City barangay captains Franz Leonard Seguero and Joel Alibango and one alias Ma’am, NBI Bacolod Chief Renoir Baldovino said on Wednesday.
NBI investigation showed that alias Ma’am is Villarosa’s illegal STL manager in Kabankalan City, and the two other barangay captains are “protectors” based on the testimonies of their bet collectors and barangay tanods, Baldovino said.
All four were charged for violation of Presidential Degree 1602 as amended by Republic Act 9287, which imposes penalties of 16 to 20 years imprisonment for illegal gambling activities, he said.
Villarosa denied involvement in illegal gambling operations and being a “financier”.*