MANILA – The lifestyle check being done on the officials of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) is expected to end within two to three months, according to the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC).
Greco Belgica, commissioner of the PACC, on Saturday said they were conducting an investigation on “13 to 20” current and former officials of the PCSO.
“In two to three months tapos na namin ang aming investigation, evaluation at pasasagutin na rin namin sila. The report will be submitted to the President for recommendation, tapos po this will be submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman for criminal aspect of the case,” Belgica said.
“We will begin with at least 13 to 20 officials na identified po namin, meron po kaming intelligence reports na nakalap,” he added. “Napapanahon lang na tingnan natin ‘yung mga tao na involved doon baka yumaman na po ‘yan more than their salaries.”
“Maraming reports na hindi nare-remit ‘yung tamang dapat naibibigay sa gobyerno… so nalulugi ang gobyerno,” Belgica said.
President Rodrigo Duterte suspended PCSO’s gaming operations on July 26 after he was briefed about the alleged massive corruption in the agency, but he allowed the resumption of lotto operations after investigators found no anomalies and regulatory rules have been followed.
However, other PCSO-managed franchises, licenses or permits such as the Small Town Lottery, Keno, and Peryahan ng Bayan remain suspended pending the investigation of illegal activities and corrupt practices.
PCSO is a government-owned and controlled corporation under the Office of the President tasked to raise and provide funds for health programs./PN
