By Genalyn Kabiling and Mario Casayuran
Several Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) officials will soon be unmasked by President Duterte for alleged corruption, a Palace official said Thursday amid an ongoing inquiry into the agency’s operations.
Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo
(OPS / MANILA BULLETIN) Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said the President mentioned his plan about the concerned PCSO officials “in passing” during a closed-door event Wednesday. “'Yun lang sinabi niya . He did not elaborate on that. Let's just wait for the announcement of the President,” Panelo said during a Palace press briefing. Panelo confirmed Senator Christopher Go's earlier remarks about the President's plan to reveal the names of the PCSO officials involved in corruption that led to revenue loss. Last Wednesday, President Duterte attended a closed-door celebration of the Joint 69th National Security Council and 70th National Intelligence Coordinating Agency founding anniversary. The Palace released photos of the event but did not make public the President's remarks. “Kung paano sinabi ni Senator Bong, 'yun na 'yun. Ganun lang ,” Panelo said. The President had earlier ordered the shutdown of PCSO gaming operations over alleged massive corruption in the agency. A few days later, the President lifted the suspension of lotto operations after finding no irregularity in the machine-operated games. With the resumption of the lotto games, Panelo said the public can resume seeking medical assistance from PCSO, the charity arm of the government. Stop STL But other PCSO-operated games, including Small Town Lottery (STL), remain suspended. On Thursday, Senator Panfilo M. Lacson sought the outright cancellation of the STL instead of it being allowed to operate again by President Duterte. He said gambling lords and corrupt officials and their minions have pocketed at least P73 billion annually from ‘’jueteng’’ (a numbers game) operations by using STL as their front. Lacson cited big-time corruption in the STL operations with military and police officers allegedly manning STL operations upon their retirement. While retired military and police officers do not remit their “earnings,” ‘’jueteng’’ lords at least remit 20 percent of their STL operations, Lacson said. Lacson said the granting of STL franchises to retired military and police officers proliferated during the incumbency of retired General Alexander Balutan as PCSO general manager. These retired Philippine National Police (PNP) provincial and regional officers know the byways and alleyways of “jueteng” operations, Lacson explained. But Balutan denied there are some retired generals who are franchise holders of STL operations and do remit to PCSO their royalties. “Not true! Please name those generals! If ever, they are incorporators who stake their hard-earned retirement pension but not the owner of the ASA (Authorized STL Agent) that went to rigid selection process,’’ Balutan said in a text message sent to Senate reporters. Lacson also said there are allegations that the hands of some PNP officers assigned in “jueteng-infested” provinces are not clean as they pocketed a few millions monthly as “payola.” A former PNP chief, Lacson had earlier revealed that he was offered a P1.2 million monthly pay-off by a middle man of a ‘’jueteng’’ lord when he was the PNP provincial director in Laguna. He again turned it down even if the middle man increased it to P2 million a month. Meanwhile, Malacañang allies in the House of Representatives dared PCSO officials to go on voluntary leave of absence to help guarantee an objective and unfettered investigation of widespread anomalies in the agency. Appearing at the weekly Partylist Forum, Rep. Godofredo N. Guya (Recoboda Partylist) warned that unless the PCSO officials are suspended or go on leave, there is a strong likelihood that probers will encounter difficulties in determining the truth about the reported irregularities in the conduct of various lotteries and games by the state-run lottery firm. ACT CIS Party-list Rep. Nina Taduran said the House Committee on Games and Amusement is expected to invite former general managers and board members to the House probe. On the other hand, Presley De Jesus (Philreca) and Adriano Ebcas (Ako Padayon) want the House inquiry fast-tracked to ensure the continuation of PCSO’s charity programs. Guya said it is not enough that PCSO officials and other personnel involved in running various lottery and gaming businesses make themselves available to the house inquiry. “They should go on leave of absence,” said Guya. (With a report from Ben R. Rosario)
Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo(OPS / MANILA BULLETIN) Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said the President mentioned his plan about the concerned PCSO officials “in passing” during a closed-door event Wednesday. “'Yun lang sinabi niya . He did not elaborate on that. Let's just wait for the announcement of the President,” Panelo said during a Palace press briefing. Panelo confirmed Senator Christopher Go's earlier remarks about the President's plan to reveal the names of the PCSO officials involved in corruption that led to revenue loss. Last Wednesday, President Duterte attended a closed-door celebration of the Joint 69th National Security Council and 70th National Intelligence Coordinating Agency founding anniversary. The Palace released photos of the event but did not make public the President's remarks. “Kung paano sinabi ni Senator Bong, 'yun na 'yun. Ganun lang ,” Panelo said. The President had earlier ordered the shutdown of PCSO gaming operations over alleged massive corruption in the agency. A few days later, the President lifted the suspension of lotto operations after finding no irregularity in the machine-operated games. With the resumption of the lotto games, Panelo said the public can resume seeking medical assistance from PCSO, the charity arm of the government. Stop STL But other PCSO-operated games, including Small Town Lottery (STL), remain suspended. On Thursday, Senator Panfilo M. Lacson sought the outright cancellation of the STL instead of it being allowed to operate again by President Duterte. He said gambling lords and corrupt officials and their minions have pocketed at least P73 billion annually from ‘’jueteng’’ (a numbers game) operations by using STL as their front. Lacson cited big-time corruption in the STL operations with military and police officers allegedly manning STL operations upon their retirement. While retired military and police officers do not remit their “earnings,” ‘’jueteng’’ lords at least remit 20 percent of their STL operations, Lacson said. Lacson said the granting of STL franchises to retired military and police officers proliferated during the incumbency of retired General Alexander Balutan as PCSO general manager. These retired Philippine National Police (PNP) provincial and regional officers know the byways and alleyways of “jueteng” operations, Lacson explained. But Balutan denied there are some retired generals who are franchise holders of STL operations and do remit to PCSO their royalties. “Not true! Please name those generals! If ever, they are incorporators who stake their hard-earned retirement pension but not the owner of the ASA (Authorized STL Agent) that went to rigid selection process,’’ Balutan said in a text message sent to Senate reporters. Lacson also said there are allegations that the hands of some PNP officers assigned in “jueteng-infested” provinces are not clean as they pocketed a few millions monthly as “payola.” A former PNP chief, Lacson had earlier revealed that he was offered a P1.2 million monthly pay-off by a middle man of a ‘’jueteng’’ lord when he was the PNP provincial director in Laguna. He again turned it down even if the middle man increased it to P2 million a month. Meanwhile, Malacañang allies in the House of Representatives dared PCSO officials to go on voluntary leave of absence to help guarantee an objective and unfettered investigation of widespread anomalies in the agency. Appearing at the weekly Partylist Forum, Rep. Godofredo N. Guya (Recoboda Partylist) warned that unless the PCSO officials are suspended or go on leave, there is a strong likelihood that probers will encounter difficulties in determining the truth about the reported irregularities in the conduct of various lotteries and games by the state-run lottery firm. ACT CIS Party-list Rep. Nina Taduran said the House Committee on Games and Amusement is expected to invite former general managers and board members to the House probe. On the other hand, Presley De Jesus (Philreca) and Adriano Ebcas (Ako Padayon) want the House inquiry fast-tracked to ensure the continuation of PCSO’s charity programs. Guya said it is not enough that PCSO officials and other personnel involved in running various lottery and gaming businesses make themselves available to the house inquiry. “They should go on leave of absence,” said Guya. (With a report from Ben R. Rosario)