‘STL outlets broke TRAIN law’

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) allowed small-town lottery (STL) outlets to operate without complying with the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law, a crime watchdog said.

In an Aug. 7 letter to PCSO general manager Royina Garma, Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption president Anselmo Evangelista Jr. urged her to look into alleged irregularities in the STL program that allowed outlets – alleged fronts for jueteng operators – to defraud the government of billions of pesos in revenue.

The minimum lotto bet was increased from P20 to P24 and the prizes of lotto games were taxed under the law, Evangelista said.

The minimum STL bet remains at P1 and the minimum prize of P800 is allegedly spared from taxes, he added.

Evangelista said this is plunder and “the culprits must be made accountable.”