A NUMBER of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) lotto agents are thinking of initiating a "Tokhang-like" (knock and plead) campaign against five elected officials in Misamis Oriental and Cagayan de Oro City known to be either protectors or financiers of illegal lotto outlets.
Astrid Bana, president of Misamis Oriental-Cagayan de Oro lotto agents association, said four elected officials in the province and one in Cagayan de Oro have been identified as alleged protectors and financiers of the illegal lotto operations.
Bana said a task force composed of city and provincial officials is set to be created and once this is formed, their group will push for action directed at these elected officials to stop their illegal activities.
"The first step is we follow the operation 'Tokhang' so to speak once they are identified and verified then we request them to stop. Mag start mi once the task force is created," Bana said.
The task force to be created is composed of the Philippine National Police, National Bureau of Investigation, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and Department of Interior and Local Government.
The task force will either write the financiers and protectors, visit the establishment, or knock on their residence to appeal to them to stop their illegal gambling involvement.
"The reason why we organized ourselves kay reports reaching us nga ang mga financiers and protectors of the gambling are police officers, local government officials, dili basta-basta bangaon kung gamay lang sa amo molihok dili kaya kay there is security risk," Bana said.
Bana warned public officials that they will resort to filing cases before the Ombudsman if they continue to allow and cuddle illegal lotto operations in their localities.
"In the law nakabutang didto nga (it is stated there) law enforcers and public officials even if you are not involved in the illegal gambling but you did not do your job because you allow the proliferation of illegal gambling in your locality you are liable," Bana said.
"The penalty is disqualification from holding public office. Pananglitan wala gihapon aksyon sa mga (If there is no action from) locality then we go to the Ombudsman," Bana added.
Misamis Oriental Governor Yevgeny Emano said during the flag raising rites on Monday that he will meet with the group of lotto agents to map out plans in resolving the concerns of legal lotto agents.
Emano also warned the mayors and the village chiefs to stop their involvement in the illegal lotto operations in the province.
Bana commended city and provincial officials for their support in forming a task force.
"At first, medyo nagmahay mi sa province kay dili medyo lukewarm ang support pero the staff of Governor Emano called me and wants to meet the group so karon nakuha na nato ang suporta sa siyudad ug sa probinsya," Bana said.
Bana said local government units have been adversely affected with the proliferation of the illegal lotto operations as the PCSO is funding several programs of the government.
"Thirty percent of the total collection sa PCSO goes to charity mao si Gov (Emano) affected according to him before he used to receive P13 million karon he's not receiving that amount. So hopefully, mobalik na ang pagtaas sa kita kung ma-sustain gayud ning crackdown against illegal gambling," Bana said.
