DAVAO CITY—The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes announced it will go after police officers who extort money from their outlets or protect illegal gambling, a high-ranking official said.
PCSO general manager, Ret. Gen. Alexander Balutan said they will wage war against illegal gambling by the end of 2016 or early next year.
Balutan said their implementing rules and regulations for lotto outlets prohibit giving money to police officers and government officials.
He said they will make a list of the extortionists and protectors of illegal gamblers.
Balutan said they have signed a memorandum of agreement with security enforcers for the arrest of illegal gamblers.
He said the public has been warned against getting involved in illegal gambling so they will no longer conduct an information drive in every barangay.
Balutan said they can only reach their yearend target of P50 billion in revenues if illegal gambling is eradicated.
He said the PCSO estimates P15 billion pesos in revenue losses because of illegal games.
Balutan added that the huge loss would have funded more health services and charity work.
He said they are identifying policemen and local officials who are tolerating or asking money from gambling lords.
“We have intelligence information coming from the ground, from the management of the PCSO and other sources. Through those data we can easily check if there was an increase or decrease of revenue,” Balutan said.
One big gambling lord volunteered to cease his illegal gambling operations to avoid being included in the list of the PCSO.
He also said that since he became the general manager of PCSO, illegal gambling significantly decreased and revenues increased.
