PCSO: Man with burned lotto stub can’t claim P12-M pot

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) on Tuesday maintained that it will not turn over the P12 million lotto pot to a former overseas Filipino worker who presented a burned ticket that contained the winning combination.

PCSO general manager Jose Ferdinand Rojas II told the House committee on games and amusement that the state lottery firm and the Commission on Audit (COA) have strict rules in validating winning lotto stubs.

The panel, chaired by Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr., was looking into the case of lotto bettor Antonio Failon Mendoza, 46, who claimed to have won the P12,991,600 prize in the Oct. 2 draw.

The ticket, which was reportedly burned by flat iron, was not read by the validating machine.

“Mr. Mendoza’s problem will be closely studied, it has been referred to the PCSO legal department. The recommendation of the legal department is for us to follow the rules regarding the determination of the winning ticket,” Rojas said.

A teary-eyed Mendoza recounted to lawmakers that after he found out that he won the 6/42 lotto, he asked his daughter, Roxanne, to double check the numbers.

However, the stub was grabbed and crumpled by Roxanne’s one-year-old daughter who was sitting on her lap. She ironed the crumpled ticket but damaged it in the process as it was made from thermal paper.

Mendoza brought his family to the House hearing, including his granddaughter.

Barzaga vowed to help them “get what is due them.”

He said the panel would invite COA chief Grace Pulido Tan and members of the PCSO board to shed light on the incident.

“We want to hear from COA and the PCSO board. There must be something we can do to help this family get what they truly deserve, which is justice and fairness,” the lawmaker said.