Tag: suspension

Statements

On the PCSO’s Problem with Corruption

When the regular jueteng collections of at least PhP200 million a day or PhP73 billion a year in Metro Manila, Cordillera Administrative Region and Regions 1 to 5 alone translate to a mere PhP4 billion income for the PCSO from Small Town Lottery (STL) operations, a big chunk of which is not even in cash remittances but recorded as collectibles, we do not need an Albert Einstein to figure out how much goes to the individual pockets of STL franchise holders, corrupt politicians, policemen and PCSO officials.

No matter how many congressional hearings are conducted, the palms of these people continue to be greased by gambling money.

The fact is, illegal jueteng merely masquerades as legitimate STL operations, 7 days a week, without fail, whose “kubrador” are armed with PCSO IDs to avoid arrest by the police who may be co-opted anyways.

Should Lotto Have Been Excluded from the President’s ‘Suspension’ Order?

It’s like this: if the intention is to stop gambling altogether, then all forms of gambling, including the PAGCOR-regulated games like casinos and online should have been included.

Since it doesn’t appear that way, then lotto outlets should have been spared since there are no reports of revenue cheating as far as lotto operations are concerned because they are computerized and automated and therefore closely monitored – unlike STL where PCSO, for millions of reasons, has consistently resisted to make it more transparent and foolproof.

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Related:
Hearing on the controversies involving PCSO (Jan. 24, 2018)
Interview after hearing on PCSO-related issues (Feb. 12, 2018)

Advisory, Hearings/Investigations

Advisory: Senate Hearing on the Fatal Hazing of ‘Atio’ Castillo III Moved to Wednesday, Oct. 18

The hearing on the fatal hazing of law student Horacio ‘Atio’ Castillo III has been moved to Wednesday, Oct. 18. This is due to the suspension of work at the Senate on Monday, Oct. 16 because of a scheduled transport strike. Thank you.

Following is the advisory from the Senate regarding the suspension of work on Monday:

Statements

Statement on the Suspension of the $330-M ZTE Deal

It would have given us more comfort if the government suspended the project to review its viability and cost-effectiveness. The next question is, for how long will it remain suspended?

The announcement, however, should not deter the Senate committees from pursuing the investigation on the ZTE national broadband network contract. The people want the truth and nothing less.

On the other hand, the suspension of the deal is redundant, but deemed necessary by Malacañang especially after the dismal performance of its Cabinet members in trying to defend the deal before the Senate hearing on the matter.

Indeed, no amount of fancy terms and technicalities could convince the senators – and the public – from harboring a sense of distrust about the nature of the deal. Thus the suspension order, announced on a weekend with “executive privilege” written all over it, to cover the stench of a stinking deal.

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