Palace probes overprinting of sweepstakes booklets - report

Sun.Star: Malacañang said it is investigating a complaint that the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) overprinted 7,000 sweepstakes booklets for a special Christmas draw last December 16 which diminished buyers' winning chances. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the General Government Administration Office (GGAO) under the Office of the President has been investigating on the case. Ermita also assured that lotto funds are used properly and that PCSO's rules are constantly reviewed. The PCSO investigation was borne of out a complaint by the Alpha Phi Omega International (Philippines) Fraternity and Sorority (APO) to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for a "thorough investigation" of the PCSO's alleged overprinting, distributing and selling 7,000 booklets of the Special Christmas Sweepstakes draw on December 16, 2007. APO president Mel Adriano, in a letter to Arroyo dated January 15, 2008, said PCSO violated its Memorandum of Agreement with APO to sell only a combined 35,000 booklets for the draw since it printed 7,000 extra booklets based on the sales report of December 12, 2007. The agreement, which is part of APO's 82nd anniversary celebration last December 16, states that APO would sell 25,000 booklets costing P500 pesos each, while PCSO would sell the remaining 10,000 booklets. APO sold the tickets to fraternity and sorority members, their relatives and friends. Adriano said the overprinting, which violated the contents of the MOA, also reduced the probability of winning for ticket holders from 1/350,000 to 1/420,000. He said APO is now being threatened by lawsuits and demands for refund from its members. - Sun.Star