Is ‘Boy J’ Javellana involved in illegal STL?

“There are many harsh lessons to be learned from the gambling experience, but the harshest one of all is the difference between having Fun and being Smart.” Hunter S. Thompson

By Alex P. Vidal

FORMER Iloilo board member Boy J Javellana has been reported to be “involved” in the operation of Small Town Lottery (STL) in Iloilo province.

His involvement wasn’t clear.

But the late board member Vicente “Bugoy” Molejona, Javellana’s colleague during the time of Governor Simplicio “Sim” Grino, confirmed Boy J, who hails from Calinog, Iloilo “was either a financier or just a supporter.”

Boy J quit politics after his term expired in 1992.

“Since STL has no legal status in the province of Iloilo, its operation is illegal,” sources told us.

Boy J could not be reached for comment.

The provincial board recently passed a resolution pushing for legalization of STL.

Its proponent, board member, Manny Gallar, a resident of Cabatuan, Iloilo, also hails from the third district of Iloilo like Boy J.

Gov. Arthur “Art” Defensor of Mina, Iloilo, also of the third district of Iloilo, has already given his green signal for the STL.

Under the STL charity fund sharing scheme, the host city or municipality gets the biggest slice of the STL revenue share at 10 percent.

PERCENT

Capitol and the PNP will get five percent apiece.

Each of the five districts of Iloilo will earn 2.5 percent.

The move to legalize STL was first broached in 2010 when then vice governor now Iloilo first district Rep. Oscar “Richard” Garin Jr., acting as chair of the committee as a whole, introduced a board resolution.

Garin Jr’s committee in 2010 held public consultations and concluded that “the operation of STL in the province will not contribute in cultivating a culture of immoral gambling among the Ilonggos; the societal value of STL as a tool to eradicate jueteng, an illegal numbers game, may be enhanced by allowing its operations, and from the standpoint of government as the primary agency charged with addressing the needs of its people, it can be prudently argued that the funds generated from STL appear to promise available resources for a more responsive and effective delivery of basis services to its constituents.”

Weeks after former Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) administrator Oscar “Oca” Garin Sr. stirred the hornet’s nest on illegal gambling activities in the first district of Iloilo, Gallar came out swinging with his resolution pushing for STL’s legalization in the province.

STL is already legal in Iloilo City.

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THE guts and glory of Senior Superintendent Khasmir Disomangcop, the newly-installed Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) director, will be tested in the campaign not only against criminalities but most particularly against illegal drugs.

When he was still commander of Precinct 3 (Jaro Police Station) in 2006, Disomangcop was among the four ICPO precinct chiefs who submitted a zero accomplishment relative to the campaign against illegal drugs.

The other zero performing precincts in the war versus illegal drugs were Police Precinct 1 (City Proper) under Insp. Dande Deocampo, Police Precinct 5 (Mandurriao) under Senior Insp. Kim Legada, and Police Precinct 6 (Arevalo) under Insp. Hari Decena.

Their zero performance was reported by no less than by their superior officer, then ICPO director, Senior Supt. Norlito Bautista to then mayor and now Rep. Jerry Treñas

Since Bautista is now the city administrator and one of those who have direct access to Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, he can perhaps give additional pointers to the city mayor regarding the record and performance of the new ICPO chief.