The House of Representatives is poised to investigate the controversial 6/55 grand lotto draw last Oct. 1 even as the 433 winners began trooping to the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) main headquarters on Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong City to claim their cash prizes.
At least 180 of the 433 lucky bettors showed up at the PCSO yesterday to claim their cash prizes.
This developed as the House Committee on Games and Amusements moved to inquire into the controversial grand lotto draw that drew mounting criticisms on social media.
Meanwhile, the PCSO said the winners must personally claim their prizes as the agency has a policy that all winnings from P300,000 and above at the PCSO main office within one year, otherwise, the monies will go to its charity fund
House minority leader and 4Ps party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan on Tuesday filed Resolution No. 463, seeking the inquiry into the 6/55 lotto draw conducted by the state-run Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) on Oct. 1 won by an incredibly record number of 433 bettors who would share the P236-million pot.
In his resolution, Libanan cited the need for Congress “to protect and ensure the integrity” of the lotto draws that he said contribute in a big way to government coffers and help finance public health programs as well as medical assistance and services to indigents, among other charities.
“We also have to safeguard the hopes and dreams of millions of Filipinos that patronize the lotto draws every day,” Libanan said.
Libanan noted that the lotto draws over the years “have inspired many Filipinos to buy tickets in the hope of winning a life-changing amount of money.”
In Saturday’s 6/55 draw, a total of 433 individuals wagered on the same winning combination – 09-45-36-27-18-54 – numbers that are all divisible by 9.
The highly unusual result “has triggered widespread social and traditional media discussion on whether fraud had attended the draw,” Libanan pointed out.
The PCSO has reassured the public that the lotto draws are being conducted in accordance with the highest standards of transparency, honesty and fairness.
In his resolution, Libanan noted that the PCSO sold P25.92 billion worth of lotto tickets from January to June this year, up 32.15 percent compared to sales in the same six-month period in 2021.
Besides generating government revenues, Libanan said lotto operations also provide economic and employment opportunities to small lotto agents, tellers and terminal technicians, among others.
