Las Piñas village watchman claims lotto jackpot

MANILA, Philippines—A barangay tanod, or member of a neighborhood watch, in Las Piñas City has claimed the P356.5-million Grand Lotto jackpot which he won in Wednesday’s draw, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office said Thursday.

The 60-year-old winner was accompanied by his son to the PCSO Office at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City around 10:30 a.m. to claim his prize and asked that the money be made out in two checks, PCSO media officer Joseph Muego said.

He said the man told PCSO officials he did not finish school and none of his children finished any level of education either.

“Now, I don’t even know how to count my winnings,” Muego quoted the new millionaire as saying.

The winner paid P20 for one ticket but said he had been placing bets for three years whenever he had money to spare.

Unlike the winner of last year’s P741 million jackpot who let the PCSO computer do a “lucky pick” for him, the winner of Wednesday’s jackpot said he himself picked out the numbers in the winning combination—-5-9-19-26-30-45, Muego said.

Muego reported the winner as saying the first thing he would do was to buy a house and lot since he has been living in a squatter’s shanty and would go home to Bicol to share his good fortune with his siblings and start a business.

He said he picked his number combination from his anniversary and birth dates of his children, Muego said.