LOTTO WINNERS TO FACE TULFO
WINNERS of lotto in the coming days will have to face the Senate investigation in an executive session for security reasons.
This was revealed by Senator Raffy Tulfo during an investigation on the alleged anomalous Phil. Charity Sweepstakes Office lotto draws.
“Duda talaga ako na may mamumuhunan dito. Sa susunod na hearing iimbitahin namin ang Anti Money Laundering Council para makita natin kung mga irregular. I cannot blame the betting public. Kasi may loyal bettors hindi nananalo tapos may ilan na multiple winning,” Tulfo said.
“I really think there is something here. Namuhunan ng P90M tapos tatamaan niya ng P600M? Tumaya para makuha at mapakyaw lahat ng numero? Baka may inside information,” he added.
Tulfo also asked officials of the PCSO to explain how they remitted taxes to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) from lotto winnings when records show that hundreds of lotto winners did not have taxpayer’s identification number (TIN).
“Based on PCSO records, there are thousands of winning bettors but only hundreds of them have TIN numbers. From now on I suggest that you don’t submit 000 TIN number to the BIR for the tax you would remit from the winnings because it will sow confusion and people will begin to think that you (people at PCSO) claimed the prizes yourselves,” Tulfo said during a public inquiry conducted by the Committee on Games and Amusement on Monday.
Tulfo said based on PCSO records, a person with 000 TIN had claimed multiple winnings.
However, PCSO officials explained that some winning bettors do not have TIN numbers since they have no fixed income.
On the other hand, BIR said 000 TINs were submitted to their office and were counted as collections.
Tulfo raised doubts that something fishy is going on and a possible connivance between an insider and some agents are happening.
“Nakapag tataka lang talaga. Paano nalalaman ng agent na may mananalo at hindi P10 lang ang taya. Parang may ideya na kung ano ang lalabas. May duda ako na may nakaabang,” he said.
