Tulfo grills PCSO execs on winners

MANILA, Philippines — A lotto winner who claimed prizes 36 times in a span of just six months and a bettor who gambled P90 million to actually win a P640-million jackpot were among the issues the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) executives answered at a hearing of the Senate committee on games and amusement yesterday.

Sen. Raffy Tulfo, who chairs the panel, said “Person B” won P225,000 for 36 times from July to December – eight times in July, nine times in August, two times in September, four times in October, nine times in November and four times in December – and another P450,000 in November, which resulted in total winnings of P8.325 million.

PCSO general manager Melquiades Robles explained that Person B was not actually the winner all those times but merely a claimant of the winning tickets.

He pointed out that claimants of multiple prizes are usually asked by winners, who could be from far-flung areas and are not inclined to spend money for transportation, to just claim the winnings for them.

“That’s what I meant, that the claimant is not necessarily the winner,” Robles said.

“They are definitely claimants and of course, in the interpretation of the law, they are also winners because they have the instruments (winning tickets) which have no information. So whoever is the holder of that ticket can claim,” he added.

Tulfo conducted the hearing based on Senate Resolution 253, filed by Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III, which sought an investigation into the presence of multiple winners in one draw – including a 6/55 Grand Lotto pot won by 433 bettors.

He questioned Robles about information that a bettor spent a total of P90 million to win the P640-million pot – a case that the senator said could be “money laundering.”

“It is like he invested P90 M, or P30 million for each of the outlet he owns – outlet A, outlet B, outlet C. This is in Binondo area. He or she owns these three outlets, he bet system 12 (12 numbers in a bet), in three outlets with P30 million each,” Tulfo added.

“That person invested P90 million. There is nothing illegal with betting that much, except when there is a problem with that money. If that person invested P90 million and (won) P640 M, then that money has already been laundered,” Tulfo said.

“To AMLC, is this a red flag? Is there someone who would invest P90 million and then win P640 million?” Tulfo asked, referring to the Anti-Money Laundering Council.

Ronald Kabanlit, AMLC representative, said this could be something to be concerned about.

“In this case, this is quite out of the ordinary. We will check if the money was connected with any unlawful activities. The amount is quite huge, the way that it was, the intent to win by investing in three branches and be the winner,” Kabanlit added.

Tulfo instructed the PCSO to provide information and present the PCSO winners who would be invited to an executive session at the next hearing.