NBI-Bacolod district office chief Renoir Baldovino shows photos of two Small Town Lottery outlets that are reportedly operating illegally in Negros Occidental.*Barbara Mijares photo
The National Bureau of Investigation-Bacolod district office raided two more Small Town Lottery outlets that are reportedly operating illegally in Negros Occidental on Wednesday, August 10.
They are in Sipalay City and in Binalbagan.
NBI Bacolod chief Renoir Baldovino said on Thursday, August 11, that the Vikings Peryahan ng Bayan outlets were already closed when the NBI went to the two areas.
It was on August 6 when the NBI operatives made a test bet, and conducted surveillance on August 8.
The STL outlets were still operating on August 9, the day before the raid.
Baldovino said they suspect that someone may have tipped the suspects regarding the operation.
He also believes that their closure is temporary.
The NBI will subpoena the owners of the land and the buildings to explain why they allowed these illegal activities and to further help their investigation to identify the operators and financiers of these illegal STL outlets, he said.
Those who will allow the operation of the illegal STL will be held liable according to the law, he added.
He said that the these outlets only started operating in the first week of August
Baldovino also said that the illegal STL outlets in these areas may also be related to the outlet raided by the NBI at the Libertad Market in Bacolod City last week.
According to the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, only Super Lucky Beagler Inc. has the authority to operate STL in Negros Occidental.*