Duterte ‘friends’ don’t remit STL profits? Palace assures ‘impartial’ probe

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang assured that the ongoing investigation into the alleged “massive corruption” in the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) is “fair” and “impartial” amid allegations that some small-town lottery (STL) operators who are allegedly friends of President Rodrigo Duterte do not remit revenues.

“Investigation in this government is always fair and impartial,” Duterte’s spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a Palace briefing Thursday.

Panelo was reacting to PCSO board member Sandra Cam’s claim that those STL operators who failed to remit revenues to the government included friends of the President.

Cam, however, refused to name those allegedly involved in corruption.

Panelo, who is also Duterte’s chief legal counsel, then urged the PCSO official to formally file a complaint against those operators.

“Our position is always is if you have any complaint against any particular employee or any person relative to the commission of any crime, (or) violations of law, then file. Make the formal complaint,” Panelo said.

The Palace official also assured that STL operations are included in the investigation.

STL and other PCSO gaming schemes have been suspended since July 26 due to “massive corruption”. Only lotto operations were allowed to resume. /kga

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