PCSO exec gets up to 19 years for pocketing lotto prizes

The Quezon City Regional Trial Court has convicted a division chief of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) for pocketing lotto prizes.

Sentenced from 13 to 19 years in prison was Angelica Fajardo, Cashier V and designated Officer-in-Charge, Division Chief III of the Prize Payment Division for malversation of public funds.

Ombudsman prosecutors presented four witness from PCSO to the trial.

They said that on November 13, 2008, Fajardo misappropriated portions of the P3 million cash advance given to her as payment of sweepstakes and lotto low-tier prizes.

In her testimony, Assistant General Manager for Finance Betsy Paruginog said she received two letter-complaints in November 2008 stating that the Prize Payment Division was unable to pay the winning Scratch-it tickets on time.

There was also a delay in the replenishment of the Teller and Provincial District Office's Prize fund.

Two spot audits conducted by the PCSO followed, including a cash count, on November 13, 2008 and January 8, 2009.

“[A]fter reconciling all the documents, checks, winning tickets, issuances and vouchers against the cash on hand of the accused, Ms. Fajardo, incurred a total cash shortage of P1,877,450," the results of the audit said.

A few days later, the audit team on January 13, 2009 issued a letter to Fajardo demanding her to restore the missing fund and explain the shortage.

On January 27, 2009, Fajardo, in a letter, admitted "her liability for the shortage of the public funds which she misappropriated and for which she was accountable.”

She also said she would make a partial payment for her liability.

"[T]he prosecution was able to prove that the accused being the OIC-Division Chief III of the Prize and Payment Division actually misappropriated the missing funds and that the accused cannot offer sufficient explanation for the loss of the same," Presiding Judge Tita Marilyn Payoyo-Villordon said.

“The failure of a public officer to have duly forthcoming any public fund or property with which he is chargeable, upon demand by any duly authorized officer, shall be prima facie evidence that he has put such missing funds or property to personal use,” she added.

Aside from the jail sentence, Fajardo was also meted with accessory penalty of perpetual disqualification and ordered to pay a fine of P1,877,450. —KG, GMA News