Probe sought on new PCSO deal

MANILA -- The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) allegedly violated its exclusive leasing agreement with the local gaming unit of the Malaysian conglomerate, Berjaya, when it signed a contract with a company without public bidding, a senator said over the weekend.

Seeking to launch an investigation into the deal is Senator Aquilino Pimentel III as he wanted to also look into the integrity of all lotto games, which raked in millions of pesos annually from the public.

Expected to be summoned soon by the Senate committee on games and amusements headed by Pimentel is the PCSO Board led by Chairman Margarita Juico.

Earlier, Berjaya Philippines told the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) that it has authorized its subsidiary, Philippine Gaming Management Corp., to file criminal, civil and administrative cases against the state-run PCSO.

This developed after PCSO entered into an agreement with Pacific Online making the company the exclusive provider of lottery equipment for Luzon. Berjaya, however, pointed out that its contract with the PCSO will only expire in 2015.

Pacific Online Systems Corporation is a unit of leisure estate and gaming firm, Belle Corp. It also leases to PCSO the equipment for its online lottery operations in the Visayas and Mindanao. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)