PCSO explains multiple winner issue
THE Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) pointed to “paki- claim” scheme after Senator Raffy Tulfo’s discovery of one claimant for 20 winnings.
In a statement issued by PCSO yesterday, the list included the name of a person who, on several occasions, claimed lower tier prizes in the digit games.
The statement further explained: “To begin with, we would like to underscore that those are not Jackpot Lottery Games but only for our Digit Games. What Sen. Tulfo apparently failed to notice was that the same list would also show that for jackpot- bearing games like Lotto 6/42, Mega Lotto 6/45, Super Lotto 6/49, Grand Lotto 6/55, and Ultra 6/58, there was no winner who won more than once.”
“The real issue here, therefore, is the claimant, and not the number of times that he supposedly won as what Senator Tulfo seemed to have assumed.
‘To be clear, the reported 20 claims made by one person does not necessarily make that claimant the winner of 20 Digit Games.
“For Digit Games such as 2D, 3D, 4D, and 6D, PCSO lotto outlet agents or representatives of the winners can collect the winnings on their behalf.
“Since they are just minor prizes, a winner can ask someone he trusts to claim the prize for him through the so-called ‘paki-claim,'” the PCSO said.
The PCSO added: ‘Some of the reasons for the ‘paki-claim’ scheme was due to distance and lack of valid identification cards of winners, since prizes of P10,000 and up must be claimed at the branch offices where they will be required to present a valid ID. Also, some winners would not want to go to their branch office because of added expenses, so the lotto agents would act as Good Samaritans and do it for them.”
On the other hand, for jackpot-bearing games like Lotto 6/42, Mega Lotto 6/45, Super Lotto 6/49, Grand Lotto 6/55, and Ultra Lotto 6/58, winners are required to personally appear at the PCSO Main Office to claim their jackpot prizes.
“Certainly, our lotto winners’ safety, security, and well-being are paramount in all our endeavors.
“Rest assured that we remain dedicated and committed to fostering a gaming environment that upholds fairness and ensures the integrity of every single draw,” the PCSO said.
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