Panelo to recommend 'impartial probe' into PCSO corruption

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said that he would be writing a memorandum on former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office General Manager Alexander Balutan's request for an investigation into allegations of corruption against him.

Panelo in a briefing on Tuesday said that he met with Balutan on Monday evening and told the former PCSO chief: “I will write a [memorandum] to the president and request the president to grant your request for investigation.”

Panelo says he is writing a memo to the president on probing corruption allegations vs Balutan. | @alexisbromero

— The Philippine Star (@PhilippineStar) March 12, 2019

Balutan last weekend said that he wants an “impartial investigation” into the “serious corruption allegations” against him.

“If there are accusations of corruption, I beg for a full and impartial investigation,” Balutan said in a statement.

“I told all PCSO employees when I assumed as general manager in 2016 that if somebody from the Office of the President/Congress asks/orders me to do something which I cannot stomach, I will resign,” he said.

Panelo said that Balutan wanted to clear his name on allegations of corruptions against him, some stemming from findings of the Commission on Audit on small town lottery operators that did not reach targets but were renewed nonetheless.

The Palace spokesman added that the Office of the Ombudsman or the Office of the President may conduct the probe unless the Ombudsman has already launched its investigation on its own, which is one of the powers of the office.

Flip-flop?

On Friday, Balutan’s spokesman Florante Solmerin released a statement saying that he had resigned from his post “for personal reasons,” amid media reports quoting an unidentified source that President Rodrigo Duterte fired the ex-PCSO chief.

Hours later, Panelo released a statement saying that the president sacked Balutan for “corruption” but did not elaborate.

READ: Duterte fired PCSO chief Alexander Balutan, Palace confirms

On Monday, the presidential spokesman issued another statement on Friday that Balutan indeed resigned from his post.

READ: Palace clarifies Balutan resigned not fired

Panelo explained to reporters: “The announcement of the firing came first before the resignation. He intended to resign from the very start but the resignation came after the announcement.”

“The announcement came before the resignation but he really resigned. Apparently, may usapan sila,” Panelo added.

Asked to expound on who Balutan had an agreement with, Panelo said that he did not ask about it. “You’re adding salt to a wound. Huwag na natin palakihin,” he also said.

Panelo said that Balutan told him he was glad that there was a clarification on his resignation. — Kristine Joy Patag