Lacson info: Duterte fumed over unpaid lottery winner

Senator Panfilo Lacson. PRIB Photo

MANILA, Philippines — Imagine winning a lottery without getting your prize?

President Rodrigo Duterte allegedly blew his top after learning this story from no less than the new general-manager of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), Royina Garma.

“Ang information na kaya nag-init ulo ni President, when the new GM reported to him mayroong instance yata, mayroong isang incident, ok may franchise tapos may tumama, eh binenta ang franchise, parang royalty or what, hindi ngayon mabayaran ang pobreng nanalo kasi ayaw sagutin ng bagong nakabili. Ayaw na rin sagutin ng dating may-ari kung saan may nanalo dahil wala na rin siya,” Senator Panfilo Lacson said at the Kapihan sa Senado on Thursday.

“So taya ka ng taya sa STL pagkatapos hindi ka makakubra doon siguro doon nagpanting ang tenga ni Pangulong Duterte,” he said, referring to the Small Town Lottery (STL), one of the games operated by PCSO.

The senator, however, could not provide other details about the STL winner who supposedly was not able to get his prize.

“Hindi ko alam. ‘Yun lang ang information na ‘yung lalong nakapagpainit ng ulo kasi nga mayroon tumama na hindi hindi nabayaran kasi biglang nalipat ang ownership,” he said.

Last Friday, Duterte ordered the suspension of all PCSO gaming schemes including STL, Lotto, Keno, and Peryahan ng Bayan, due to “massive corruption.”

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

The President lifted the suspension four days later but only for Lotto.

Lacson also claimed he got information that retired and military officers, who had been granted STL franchises, were not remitting their collections to PCSO.

“Nakapangalan lang sa mga dummies pero sila ang behind,” he pointed out.

READ: Lacson: STL outlets of retired cops, soldiers don’t remit collections to PCSO

Lacson, a former police chief, admitted though that his information has yet to be validated. /kga