Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers on Sunday criticized the Philippine Charity Sweepstake Office amid the viral edited picture of a Lotto 6/42 jackpot winner who claimed a P43-million prize.
“A public office is a public trust. When people have lost their trust in you, delicadeza at the very least should drive you to resign,” Barber said, referring to PCSO general manager Melquiades Robles.
Robles did not comment when reached by the Standard for comment. He earlier defended the edited photo, saying the image was meant to conceal the identity of the winning bettor.
“Was there a need to publish the pictures of the winning bettors? While there was none, PCSO GM Robles probably wanted to allay alleged rumors that some draws were not actually won and that the published winners were fictitious or staged, that he had to enlist the help of the artificial intelligence technology,” the lawmaker said.
“The result was both disastrous and hilarious. Instead of allaying those fears and rumors of fake winners, he succeeded in creating a conflagration. What used to be confined to the ‘Matiresses’ is now a full-blown scandal exploding in (Robles’) face that nothing less than his removal as general manager or resignation could put the fire out,” he said.
In a radio interview Friday, Robles said the PCSO had started to edit photos of the winners after one previous winner complained that she was identified because her shirt was clearly visible.
The GM of the state lottery also said the image was posted late on PCSO’s Facebook page as added security for the winner. This also explains why the calendar on the photo showed that the image was taken last year.
But Barbers said: “I am reminded of a magic show staged here in the ‘90s entitled the Greatest Show on Earth where people and things are made to disappear and reappear in different areas of the theater, to the great amazement and amusement of the audience.”
“The same reaction is achieved in our lotto shows that now rival that magic show in terms of the amazing acts being performed before our very eyes,” he said.
