At least five authorized agent corporations (ACCs) are under evaluation by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board for suspension, cancellation, termination, or revocation of their authority to play the Small Town Lottery (STL).

"We are looking into these five AACs that are possibly violating provisions contained in the STL Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR)," said PCSO general manager  Alexander Balutan.

He said Camarines Sur will not be open to bidders for long so the revenue of the province will not be affected and so that the bidding will not create a vacuum for opportunists and illegal operations.

"I am not intimidated by the vilification campaign in the media against our STL. All we have to do is accept the fact that we have not yet perfected the system for our STL. What is important is to accomplish our mission set by the President [that is] to eradicate jueteng and all forms of illegal numbers game through STL. We are so much focused on this goal and we will do it," said Balutan.

He said the agency has terminated and cancelled the authorization of Evenchance Gaming Corporation to play the STL in Camarines Sur for violations that include accepting bets from minors, non-wearing of STL uniform and identification cards, and using tickets not prescribed by the PCSO.

He added that the AAC failed to reach the presumptive monthly retail receipt  that it has committed in its application.

Balutan also said the franchise of Pangasinan's Golden Go Rapid Gaming Corp (GGRGC) was terminated in October last year "for failure to remit more than P655-million supposed monthly retail remittance to the charity office since April 2017."

"(The PCSO) also forfeited the cash bond posted by GGRGC amounting to P225-million to cover the payment of their sales shortfall, which was computed after the submission of their sales report,” he added.

The Sweepstakes official explained the agency granted Speed Game Inc. the authority to operate STL in Pangasinan as a replacement.