Authorities on Saturday began closing down lotto and other gaming outlets of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) at President Rodrigo Duterte's order.
Top cop Albayalde himself is making rounds in Baguio City to make sure that all PCSO-accredited Lotto, Keno, and small time lottery outlets in the area have stopped their operations.to immediately stop all gaming operations, licenses and franchises of the PCSO, as he alleged corruption of the state charity fund. Small town lottery and other gambling activities authorized by the PCSO have been declared illegal.
"Those businesses that continue to operate in connection with the franchises, licenses, concessions granted by the PCSO are hereby warned to cease and desist from engaging business, following the provisions stipulated in their franchises or face consequences under existing laws," PNP said. The PCSO was created in 1954 to raise funds for health programs, medical assistance and services, and government charities from sweepstakes races, lotteries, and other similar activities. It is under the Office of the President.
State auditors have earlier flagged alleged irregularities in the use of the charity fund. Duterte recently appointed Cebu City Police Office Director Col. Royina Garma to head the PCSO, replacing Alexander Balutan who had a controversial stint. Balutan was accused of improper spending, particularly for the lavish Christmas party he threw for the government agency in 2017. Balutan , however, said the government even saved millions of pesos for that party, spending only ₱6.
Duterte did not specify the corruption allegations that prompted him to issue an unprecedented order to stop all PCSO gaming operations.CNN Philippines' Gerg Cahiles contributed to this report.
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