PCSO list showing one bettor winning 20 times in a month to be investigated
Suspicions arose after a list submitted by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) showed a lone bettor winning the lotto 20 times in just a single month.
Sen. Raffy Tulfo raised this issue in a radio interview on Dobol B TV, stating, "'Yung PCSO nagbigay ho sa akin ng listahan, ito nga po yung sinasabi ko medyo nakakataas ng kilay, mayroon doon na isang tao nanalo ng 20 times in one month. Mayroon dun 10 times in one month."
"Siguro baka magkapangalan pero still, pare-pareho 'yung premyo ang pinanalunan. Paulit-ulit in one month," he added.
Tulfo, who is also the vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Games and Amusement, said that this discovery only led to more questions regarding PCSO's drawing system on their e-lotto.
"Bakit tuwing draw, may nananalo na ngayon? Walang mintis. Samantalang noong panahon na wala pa tong e-lotto, ang tagal bago panalunan. Inaabot ng isang buwan, dalawang buwan," Tulfo said.
"Bakit ka magkakarga ng P500 million per game? Ang reason nila eh para raw magkaroon ng excitement at tumaas 'yung pagtataya, eh mind you, tuwing dinadagdagan nila ng P500 million ang bawat game, agad agad may nananalo," he continued.
Tulfo assured that he would lead the investigation on the issues of the PCSO lotto draws.
In a separate interview, PCSO General Manager Mel Robles said that he was not aware of the issue on the lone bettor winning multiple times in just a short span, but assured that they will also look into the matter.
"I wouldn't know. Ako, personally, hindi ko po tintingnan 'yun. Pero I'll check, I'll look into that kung meron pong ganon, kasi hindi naman po kami tumitingin na niyan after namin maibigay eh," Robles said.
"Pwede imbestigahan 'yan. Hindi naman mahirap imbestigahan 'yan eh," he added.
On the issue of how there are more frequent winners in recent times now that the lotto has been digitalized, Robles said, "Almost the same lang naman through the years. 'Yan ho ang problema... again this is a game of chance. Mahirap po magsabi niyan sa totoo lang. Kagabi walang nanalo, kung every draw may nananalo, edi dapat kagabi may nanalo."
This issue comes less than two months after PCSO became a trending topic online after it posted an edited photo of the lone bettor who won the P43.9 million jackpot.
General Manager Melquiades Robles confirmed that it was indeed altered, noting that it was done for security purposes as some winners in the past complained about being recognized by their neighbors for their outfits. But Tulfo said in a session that he wants the identity of this person to be revealed in order to confirm their existence.