Edwin Fernandez and Noel Punzalan/Philippine News Agency
CLOSED DOWN. Police officers shut down an outlet of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office in Parang, Maguindanao, on Saturday (July 27) following a directive issued by President Rodrigo Duterte for the closure of all PCSO gaming outlets nationwide due to alleged massive corruption in the agency. (Photo courtesy of PRO-BARMM)
COTABATO CITY — Police authorities here and in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) have shut down more than 450 outlets of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) lotto and small-town lottery outlets over the weekend.
The closure of the outlets complies with the July 26 order by President Rodrigo Duterte to shut down all PCSO outlets due to alleged “massive corruption” in the agency. In this city, the police have served the closure order to 204 lotto and small town lottery (STL) outlets.
“Anyone caught still engaging in PCSO betting numbers game and other forms of gambling activities will be dealt with accordingly,” Captain Rowel Zafra, speaking for the city police, said over a local radio station Monday.
Across the BARMM, a total of 251 lotto and STL kiosks were also shut down in compliance with the President’s directive, according to a statement released by the Police Regional Office – Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PRO-BARMM), also on Monday.
The BARMM comprises the provinces of Maguindanao, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Basilan, and Lanao del Sur; the cities of Cotabato, Marawi, and Lamitan, and the 63 villages in six towns of North Cotabato.
Among those closed were Lotto outlets, Peryahan ng Bayan, STL, Keno, and all other similar gaming activities.
Brig. Gen. Marni Marcos Jr., PRO-BARMM director, has ordered all police provincial director and town police chiefs to ensure that no more gambling outlets are operating in their respective areas of assignment.
“Immediate arrest shall be applied to whoever is caught engaging in these illegal activities in connection with the franchises, licenses, concessions granted by the PCSO as of President Duterte’s instruction to arrest violators who insist on continuing the operations of all PCSO gaming schemes,” Marcos said.
