MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte will likely receive in early January next year the results of the investigation on Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office officials tagged in corruption, according to the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission.
"Pinapa-lifestyle check lang namin. Medyo tinatrabaho na yung desisyon," PACC chairperson Dante Jimenez is quoted as saying in a report by state-run Philippine News Agency.
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(We're conducting a lifestyle check on the PCSO officials. We're doing our best to come up with a decision.)
"Mga early January, naka-table na 'yun eh (It’s tabled for around early January).”
‘Massive’ corruption
The PACC’s investigation was launched after Duterte on July 26 ordered the suspension of all PCSO gaming operations and the revocation of all gaming franchises issued by the state firm.
These include lotto, small-town lottery (STL), Keno, and Peryahan ng Bayan.
Duterte lifted the suspension order of lotto operations on July 31.
The president on August 22 also ordered the resumption of STL operations with the condition that authorized agent corporations will comply with new rules and regulations.
Other PCSO-license games remain non-operational pending probe results.
Before Duterte ordered the suspension of PCSO-run gaming activities, the Commission on Audit also called out the state firm for refusing to remit half of its annual earnings to the national treasury as required by law.
“PCSO has not declared and remitted dividends to the national government for dividend years 1994 to 2016 in the total amount of P8.426 billion, contrary to the provision under Section 3 of Republic Act 7656,” COA’s 2018 annual audit report on the PCSO read.
RA 7656, also known as the Dividend Law, states: “All government-owned or -controlled corporations shall declare and remit at least fifty percent (50%) of their annual net earnings as cash, stock or property dividends to the National Government.”
PCSO had total earnings of more than P16 billion between 1994 and 2016, according to the COA audit team's review of the state firm's financial statements.
COA’s other key findings include a deficit in required monthly STL proceeds, a pending transfer of P684.3 million to the state firm's charity fund, the continued operation of non-compliant STL agents, failure to submit contracts to COA within proper time, and unsupported claims amounting to P2.2 million.
Case building
The PACC on Monday announced its investigation of the PCSO board chaired by Anselmo Simeon Pinili.
“We are conducting a probe and lifestyle check on PCSO officials — about 15 of them with the exception of general manager Royina Garma who has just assumed her post,” PACC Commissioner Manuelito Luna said in an interview with The STAR.
“The probe is pursuant to the directive of President Duterte to run after corrupt government officials, especially in agencies such as the PCSO, which is supposed to be at the forefront of providing social services to the poor."
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra in July issued Department Order 384, directing the National Bureau of Investigation to build a case on the alleged corruption.
“[T]he NBI, through Director Dante A. Gierran, is hereby directed and granted authority on the alleged graft and corrupt practices in the PCSO and its various gaming operations and, if evidence warrants, to file the appropriate charges against persons found responsible thereof,” the order read.
Gierran is also mandated to submit progress reports directly to the Office of the Secretary.
House Deputy Speaker Prospero Pichay Jr. (Surigao del Sur) last week asked the DOJ and NBI to disclose their investigation findings.
“Were there charges filed against those found liable? Did they investigate the STL operators?”