Año: Duterte’s word makes shutdown of PCSO gaming outlets ‘legal’

A lotto outlet in Barangay Cogon in Tagbilaran City was closed on Saturday, July 27, after President Rodrigo Duterte declared all PCSO gaming illegal. Leo Udtohan/Inquirer Visayas

MANILA, Philippines — Even if the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has yet to receive a written order from Malacañang, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año has maintained that the suspension of all Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) gaming activities nationwide is deemed legal.

According to Año, President Rodrigo Duterte has confirmed to him the closure order against outlets of PCSO’s Small Town Lottery (STL), Peryahan ng Bayan, Keno, and Lotto, among others, during their visit to quake-stricken Batanes on Sunday.

“Sa ngayon ang aking opisina ay wala pang natatanggap mula sa Malacañang, but ‘yong declaration ng closure, which I confirmed to the President yesterday when we were in Batanes,” he said in a press conference after meeting Metro Manila mayors on Monday.

Asked if arrests could also be made by the department even without the written directive from the President, Año said Duterte’s words are enough.

“Yes, being the Chief Executive, that is enough,” he added.

In a recorded announcement Friday night, Duterte ordered the immediate stoppage of PCSO’s gaming activities across the country due to alleged corruption.

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

READ: Duterte shutdown order stuns lottery operators

Prior to Duterte’s suspension order against PCSO games, the charity agency has been plagued with controversies including its supposedly lavish Christmas parties for employees and officials in 2017.

READ: Cam hits P10-M Christmas party of PCSO; it’s only P6M, says GM

A recent Commission on Audit (COA) report even showed that PCSO has not remitted P8 billion worth of dividends intended for the national government.

READ: COA flags PCSO for not remitting dividends worth P8B to national gov’t

In the same press conference, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar echoed Año’s views on Duterte’s directives.

Eleazar even dared critics to file charges against the police if they believe they illegally arrested people still into STL operations even if Duterte has already ordered its stoppage.

“He is the Chief Executive. Nagsalita ang ating Pangulo, Chief Executive.  And sa amin, kung meron kang kaso sa amin, eh di kasuhan kami.  Ang aarestuhin natin ngayon, kung nakikita natin sila, ‘yong nangongolekta, dahil Jueteng ‘yon, definitely Jueteng ‘yon kasi walang STL na nga,” he said, referring to the illegal numbers game.

“Kasi ang illegal gambling, that is warrantless arrest if somebody is committing an offense, pwede mong arestuhin ‘yon.  And ‘yong illegal gambling is an offense,” he further pointed out.

As of Monday, NCRPO said, five individuals have already been arrested for engaging in illegal STL operations.

“Ngayon lahat ng nagkokolekta, kagaya ngayon may nare-receive akong info na meron daw sa ganung lugar, nagpapatakbo tayo ng pulis doon para arestuhin kung sino man ang nangungubra o nangongolekta ng taya,” Eleazar noted. /kga