Man, arrested for trying to claim P172-M lotto jackpot using fake ticket

A man was arrested after allegedly attempting to claim a P172-million lotto jackpot using a falsified ticket at the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) office in Mandaluyong City, police said Tuesday.

In a statement, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said the suspect on Monday presented what he claimed was a winning ticket bearing a complete six-digit match. 

“Verification through the official lotto database and cotejo system immediately established that the winning combination had already been claimed by its rightful owner,” the NCRPO said.

“A closer examination revealed clear signs of tampering, including handwritten entries made using a ballpen, prompting validation by the PCSO Data Center and Security Office, which confirmed that the ticket had been altered,” it added.

The suspect was immediately arrested.

Recovered from him was one lotto ticket with markings and the signature of the seizing officer.

He was brought for medical examination before being turned over to investigators for case build-up and inquest proceedings at the Mandaluyong City Prosecutor’s Office. 

The suspect may face a complaint for falsification of public document.

“The attempt was stopped at the point where facts are verified. EMPO enables us to detect falsification, confirm it with certainty, and act at once,” NCRPO chief Police Major General Anthony Aberin said.

“NCRPO will continue to protect the integrity of public systems and ensure that fraudulent acts are met with immediate and lawful consequences,” he added. —AOL, GMA News