Bacolod Mayor Monico Puentevella said yesterday that he is willing to sit down with the Church if it wants to discuss the operation of Small Town Lottery in Bacolod City.

Puentevella is questioning why the Catholic Church is not as vocal about the operation of STL in some areas in the province of Negros Occidental unlike in Bacolod City.

He said he has not yet made up his mind on the matter since he is still in the process of reviewing and studying his action with regards to the approval of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the Resolution of No Objection allowing Super Lucky Beagler Inc. to operate STL in Bacolod.

Fr. Ernie Larida, Social Action Center director, said earlier that the Church will campaign against city officials who voted in favor of the STL operation in Bacolod by using the pulpit and even plan to display a tarpaulin in front of the Cathedral with their names on it if they will continue to allow it.

Puentevella said that if the Church wants to stop the operation of STL in Bacolod, they should also stop other gambling operations in the province, including Pagcor gamings.

“If they want to see me, we can always talk. I respect their stand because we are in a democracy,” he said. “But I'm asking what about the province. Is the Catholic Church only for Bacolod?” Puentevella asked.

Larida recalled that Puentevella had joined them in their stand against illegal gambling sometime in 2007.

However, Puentevella said he has not made a decision yet so he should not be judged. He might even oppose it, he said.

He said he will first talk to the councilors.

He said he respects the members of the SP as he respects the Church in Bacolod.

But why is there selective justice? You have gambling for the rich but no gambling for the poor. Why don't we stop all forms of gambling? He asked.

If the Church wants to stop STL in Bacolod, they better do the same in all legal gambling operation in the entire province, Puentevella said.

Bacolod Councilor Gamboa Jr., who voted in favor of the STL along with Councilors Alex Paglumotan, Noli Villarosa, Roberto Rojas, Em Ang, Caesar Distrito , had said he believes that STL will help regulate the proliferation of illegal numbers game in the city.

Councilors El Cid Familiaran and Sonya Verdeflor voted against it.

Meanwhile, Puentevella said he is calling for the stoppage of the construction of Buri and Alijis Roads because of complaints from several landowners.

He said he will have the matter investigated by the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod to give cognizance to their complaint.

There are about nine land owners who claimed that the Department of Public Works and Highways disregarded their rights and that they were not paid, Puentevella said.

Puentevella said he will request the DPWH Manila to answer questions during the hearing to be conducted by the SP. He will also request the DPWH Secretary to send an investigating team to Bacolod.

They were informed about the project but the DPWH did not get his approval, he added.*CGS

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