Ex-PNP, Marine generals appointed PCSO chair, general manager

Update

The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has a new chairman, in the person of a former police general.

President Rodrigo Duterte, who said he wanted a “killer” to head the supposedly corrupt agency, on Monday named former police director Jose Jorge Corpuz as the new PCSO chairman.

READ: Wanted: A ‘killer’ to head PCSO

Corpuz will replace Erineo Maliksi, who was charged with graft over the extension of contracts for the lease of lottery terminals without public bidding.

“PCSO is a corrupt agency. I am looking for a killer to head this agency,” Duterte said in a speech during an environmental summit in Davao City last August. “Yang mga pabingo-bingo na ‘yan, hawak ng ano…‘yung lotto pati jueteng, ginanun nila…that is the racket (Those bingo games that they hold, the lotto and ‘jueteng’… that is the rachet).”

READ: Ex-PCSO chiefs charged with graft over lotto deal

Maliksi stopped reporting for work in August out of “delicadeza” for the new chief being eyed by Duterte and who had not been named then. The President had issued a memorandum circular ordering presidential appointees in the past administration to submit their courtesy resignations.

READ: Palace orders gov’t appointees to submit courtesy resignations

Duterte also appointed former Marine Major Gen. Alexander Balutan as PCSO general manager, replacing Jose Ferdinand Rojas II. Balutan was earlier tapped to head the Bureau of Corrections.

Corpuz and Balutan will take their oaths with other newly appointed government officials on Monday, 2:30 p.m., at Heroes Hall in Malacañang.

The PCSO was plagued with alleged corrupt activities during the term of former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who had been accused of misusing P366 million in intelligence funds. JE/rga