PCSO lost P250-M lotto revenue after Duterte halt order —GM

The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) lost P250 million in revenues in the four days that its lotto operations were suspended,  its general manager Royina Garma said on Wednesday.

“P250 million [were lost]. That’s only for Lotto,” Garma said at a press conference.

She clarified. however, that despite the halt in gaming operations, the PCSO still has sufficient funds to continue the agency's charity works.

“Most of the charity services kaya niyang i-sustain,” Garma said.

The gaming operations of the PCSO were suspended following an order President Rodrigo Duterte on July 26 in light of alleged corruption in the gaming agency.

Duterte lifted the halt on Tuesday as an investigation into the agency’s operations began.

Garma said that the agency was open for an investigation to address the alleged irregularities in the PCSO.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra recently issued a department order directing the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to probe the alleged corruption in the PCSO.

According to Garma, some NBI agents already visited their office on Wednesday morning.

“Kanina nandito po ang NBI, maganda naman po ang pag-uusap,” she said.

“If they discover something, better,” she added. — MDM, GMA News