Duterte to look into Cam’s claim on lavish PCSO Christmas party

PCSO General Manager Alexander Balutan reminded new board member Sandra Cam of her duties at the agency which is to help form policy. Balutan quipped that Cam should ‘not bite the hand that feeds’ her. INQUIRER FILES

President Rodrigo Duterte will not tolerate extravagance and would look into the reports that the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) had spent millions during its Christmas party, Malacañang said on Thursday.

“I think you know that the President does not tolerate extravagance. So we do not know yet ‘no. I’m sure the President will look into the matter. As you know, he’s very sensitive to what is reported by his own people…, in the different branches of government,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a Palace briefing.

Roque said he had no personal information on the exact amount spent for the PCSO party.

PCSO board member and former jueteng whistleblower Sandra Cam hit the P10-million Christmas party of the PCSO in a five-star hotel.

“We could have held the Christmas party in the office or in our own departments,” Cam said on Wednesday. “But shelling out P10 million in a five-star hotel? That’s something else,” she added.

PCSO general manager Alexander Balutan has disputed Cam’s statement, saying the Department of Budget and Management had approved the original Christmas party budget of P14 million, but that he had it cut down to P6 million.