Dela Rosa backs Duterte’s ‘prerogative’ to close PCSO games

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa backed President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to stop all gaming activities of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), saying Duterte has the prerogative to make such directive.

Citing alleged massive corruption, Duterte ordered last Friday the closure of PCSO gaming outlets, including lotto, Small Town Lottery (STL) and Peryahan ng Bayan.

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

“E diskarte ni Presidente ‘yan e, para mahinto ang kalokohan. Kung may nakita silang kalokohan, e ‘di ihinto kaysa naman pabayaan, kaysa walang aksyon na gagagawin ang President kahit na niloloko na nila ang gobyerno sa kanilang scheme,” Dela Rosa said in an interview at the Senate Monday.

“Walang napupunta dun [sa] kaban ng bayan dahil maraming kalokohan na sumakay, so preprogative ng Presidente ‘yan na ipahinto,” he said.

When he was at the helm of the Philippine National Police, Dela Rosa noted that the police strictly enforced the President’s directive to ensure that only the STL would be allowed to operate.

“But lately, nagsilabasan itong mga Peryahan ng Bayan…Hindi na nasusunod yung gusto ng President na STL lang, mga Peryahan na Bayan nagsilabasan na naging competition dun sa operations ng STL,” he pointed out.

The PCSO earlier terminated its contract with peryahan operator Globaltech Mobile Online Corp. after its alleged failure to remit some P100 million in revenue.

But last January, the Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the gaming firm.

READ: CA stops PCSO crackdown vs ‘perya’ games

Dela Rosa said STL operations are losing money because of Peryahan ng Bayan.

And he suspects that the local government units that do not make money from STL are the ones who are probably benefitting from Peryahan ng Bayan. /je