MABALACAT CITY -- Opposition Senator Leila de Lima has called for a Senate investigation into the internal squabbles of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) officials.
In a press statement sent to VoxPop Pampanga on January 10, De Lima said she is seeking for a probe to shield the agency against “private vested interests and sinister machinations by some quarters.”
In filing Senate Resolution (SR) 578, De Lima underscored the importance of safeguarding PCSO’s mandate and shielding its operations from improper influence and interference from personalities with vested interests, let alone dubious reputation.
“PCSO is a government-owned and controlled corporation tasked to raise money and provide funds for health programs, medical assistance and services, and charities of national character for the underprivileged. [Its] image should not be tarnished and its operations affected by the internal politics of the high-ranking personalities in the agency,” she said.
De Lima noted the internal squabble at the PCSO came after PCSO new board member and former jueteng whistleblower Sandra Cam questioned the agency’s alleged lavish Christmas party last year with purported budget of P9.8 million.
Based on reports, however, PCSO General Manager Alexander Balutan said the approximately P10-million budget cited by Cam was not entirely spent by the agency.
He said the PCSO only spent P6 million to finance the venue, food and the raffle and performance prizes for employees during the agency’s Christmas party.
“Dapat talagang imbestigahan yung sinasabi ni Sandra Cam na diumano’y ‘lavish’ o magarang Christmas party ng PCSO. Pero dapat rin imbestigahan yung akusasyon ng kabilang panig – nila GM Balutan at Chair Corpuz – sa diumano’y ‘personal agenda’ at ‘demolition job’ ni Sandra Cam dahil sa pansariling interes para mahawakan ang STL operations sa buong bansa. Hindi puwedeng one-sided lang ang imbestigasyon. Let’s be fair here,” De Lima said.
“Kasi kung totoo yung mga sinasabi nila GM Balutan at Chair Corpuz, dapat tayong mabahala. Napakahalaga ng mandato ng PCSO dahil nakakatulong ito sa mga proyekto para sa mga mahihirap. So hindi puwedeng nahahaluan ang mga gawain nito o nasisira ang mga operasyon nito dahil sa pakikialam ng mga personalidad na may kahinahinalang karakter at hindi mapagkakatiwalaan,” she added.
While she said that the issue of supposed lavish Christmas celebration requires scrutiny and must be looked into, De Lima maintained she found Balutan’s counter-allegation more alarming and disturbing.
“Like any other government agency, the image of the PCSO should not be tarnished and its operations affected by the internal politics of the high-ranking personalities in the agency, and neither should it be used as the milking cow of the current powers-that-be, through the abuse of official position and authority to control STL operations under the PCSO for their own personal benefit and that of their principals,” De Lima said.
“Institutional integrity emanates from the individual integrity of an agency’s officials – bearing great weight that such positions of power be given to persons who possess untarnished reputations and who govern their lives by high moral standards,” she added.
Citing Article XI Section 1 of the Constitution, De Lima reminded that all “public officers and employees must at all times be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency, act with patriotism and justice and lead modest lives.”
Likewise, she cited Section 2 of Republic Act 6713, also known as the “Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees,” to remind them that it is the policy of the State to “promote a high standard of ethics in public service.”
It may be recalled that Balutan said that Cam is only making false accusations targeting PCSO officials to “get the agency’s top post” and help her friend, known gambling lord Charlie “Atong” Ang, to monopolize Small Town Lottery (STL) operations nationwide.
Balutan said Ang had tried but failed to get approval for his STL bid during a meeting that Cam requested with PCSO Chairman Jose Jorge Corpuz last year.
