Muntinlupa woman claimed P249M lotto prize, says PCSO GM
MANILA, Philippines—Amid allegations that the lottery draw last Monday was rigged, officials of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) claimed a 59-year-old female office worker from Muntinlupa City on Thursday took home her winnings worth P249.8 million.
In an e-mailed statement, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) General Manager Jose Ferdinand Rojas II said that the winner went to the PCSO office in Pasay City on Thursday morning to claim her winnings.
Rojas, who handed her the check, said the winner has been a persistent bettor since 1996, keeping the birth dates and ages of her children and husband as her lucky numbers.
In Monday’s 6/55 Grand Lotto draw, the computer system generated her lucky numbers—39-21-42-28-05-27
Rojas said the winner expressed her intention to use the winnings for a new house and lot and share them with her children.
But the netizens were demanding an explanation from the PCSO about the alleged photo of the draw results showing no one won the jackpot. The photo has been circulating online since it was posted on the Facebook page “Filipino’s Patriotism” drawing suspicions from netizens posting comments that the draw results could be rigged.
According to the Facebook post, Rojas II should explain why the hard copy of the draw results given by a reliable source showed that no one won the jackpot. The PCSO earlier announced one bettor from Makati bagged the P249.8- million jackpot prize in the 6/55 Grand Lotto and five winners were able to get five sets of numbers right.
Sought for comment, Rojas II said the copy of the draw results posted online could be from one of their two systems providers.
“What most people don’t know is we have two systems providers for Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao,” Rojas explained
Pacific Online where the ticket showing 0 jackpot winners came from runs the computer systems in the Visayas and Mindanao.
Philippine Gaming Machine Corporation, however, was the one in charge for Luzon.
“It is normal that the draw results generated by the systems in the Visayas and Mindanao would show zero number of winners,” he said noting that the Facebook post was unfair and malicious.
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