PCSO suspends gaming activities; execs may appeal to Duterte

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) on Saturday said all of its gaming activities that include lotto and STL are suspended until further notice following the orders of President Rodrigo Duterte.

READ: Duterte stops all PCSO gaming activities including lotto, STL

Duterte said massive corruption in the agency forced him to shut down all of PCSO’s gaming activities.

The PCSO, however, said that it will appeal to Duterte for the gaming operations to resume for the benefit of its beneficiaries and agents.

A lotto outlet in Barangay Cogon in Tagbilaran City was closed on Saturday, July 27, after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered to stop all of PCSO’s gaming activities due to massive corruption. Leo Udtohan/Inquirer Visayas

“Pursuant to the order of the President suspending PCSO’s gaming activities, the PCSO board directs compliance to said instruction until further notice,” the PCSO said in a Facebook live.

“Rest assured that PCSO shall appeal to the office of the president for the resumption of the conduct of all games to PCSO’s mandate and for the interest of the PCSO, its agents, and its beneficiaries,” it added.

Customers who have advanced playing tickets, meanwhile, are advised to keep their tickets until further notice.

Duterte on Friday night ordered all gaming activities of PCSO to be stopped amid the alleged “massive corruption” in the agency.

“I have today ordered the closure, the stoppage of all gaming schemes or whatever nature however done that got the franchises to do so from the PCSO. The ground is massive corruption involving all…pati the courts who repeatedly issued injunctions to paralyze government and to allow corruption to thrive,” Duterte said.  /jpv