NEWSFLASH

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CEBU LOTTO OPPONENTS LOSE APPEAL CASE

Cebu City, Nov. 21, 1997 - The Court of Appeals ruled against the city government and the Catholic Church which tried to lock out Lotto from the city.

The Court of Appeals ruled that the Cebu City government does not have the authority to shut down Lotto terminals, and that only the national government, through the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, has the power to issue licenses or permits for the operations of on- line lottery.

The ruling allowed lotto franchise holders to resume operations and ordered Cebu City Mayor Alvin Garcia keep the outlets open. Garcia said the lotto outlets he padlocked in June could not reopen because the city government will appeal the ruling. He ordered the city Attorney's office to immediately file a motion for reconsideration.

The city government anchors its position on local autonomy powers under the Local Government Code, primarily the authority to issue permits for businesses operating within its jurisdiction.

But the Court of Appeals ruled that local autonomy, as a policy of the state, is merely meant to decentralize some of the powers of the national government. "It does not make local governments sovereign within the state."

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