MANILA – The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) plans to appeal the suspension of gaming operations slapped on them by President Rodrigo Duterte last Friday.
The PCSO said that while they comply with the temporary shutdown of their operations, they hope Duterte will soon lift the suspension.
“Pursuant to the order of the President suspending PCSO’s gaming activities, the PCSO board directs compliance to said instruction,” the PCSO said. “Rest assured PCSO shall appeal to the Office of the President for the resumption of the conduct of all games.”
“To our valued customers, please be advised that our PCSO games are suspended pursuant to the directive of President Rodrigo Duterte. All players with advance play tickets are advised to keep their tickets until further notice,” it added.
Based on the Philippine National Police, a total of 2,211 lotto stores and other gaming outlets were closed on the first day of the crackdown.
Duterte ordered the shutdown of all PCSO gambling operations such as the lotto, Peryahan ng Bayan, small town lottery, and Keno due to “massive corruption.”
Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said the alleged massive corruption in PCSO is a “growing conspiracy” where the government was cheated out of its share from the agency’s profits.
“All players and participants of these gaming operations are involved. There’s a growing conspiracy to cheat this government and its rightful shares,” Panelo said.
“President Duterte has all the resources in the world to know what is happening in this country that there is a massive corruption going on at PCSO,” he added.
With the development, Panelo said the Office of the President and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. will be the ones to shoulder the need for funding charities./PN
