By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) General Manager Mel Robles has maintained his composure despite a year of “baseless accusations” from anti-PBBM vlogger Grace Contreras, known as Maharlika.
The situation escalated when Contreras allegedly posted a picture of Robles’ 13-year-old daughter.
“She published a picture of my daughter, among other things. That was the breaking point. Accusing me of hiring killers and committing murder, then exposing my child—it’s unacceptable. What if my child became a victim of a hate crime?” Robles expressed.
Robles and his wife Sherwil have filed defamation and invasion of privacy charges against Maharlika in the Central District Court of California.
The Robleses will be represented by lawyer Camille Vasquez, known for her role in Johnny Depp’s defamation case against Amber Heard.
“I chose a very good lawyer specializing in reputation and brand management. It took a while for her to take our case, as she carefully evaluated its merits. Her decision to represent us confirms the case’s strength,” Robles said.
He added that they decided to take legal action due to the impact on their family from Maharlika’s accusations.
“These cases are about our pursuit of justice and defense of our name, honor, integrity, and reputation,” Robles emphasized.
“For almost a year, we have faced almost daily vicious, unjustifiable, and false attacks on her YouTube channel, Boldyak TV.”
“Her actions have involved malicious falsehoods and derogatory remarks aimed at damaging our character. She has used various names to belittle me and undermine my integrity,” he said.
Robles stated that Maharlika has accused him of embezzlement, contract killing, and assisting terrorists.
“We tried to remain peaceful, knowing her accusations were lies and fabrications born from her vile imagination and hateful heart. We are human, and there’s only so much we can endure,” Robles concluded.
(ia/mnm)
NAGPANGGAP umano na lehitimong mga empleyado ang mga kolektor at rebisador ng ilegal na sugal sa Quezon City upang guluhin ang legal na palaro ng Small Town Lottery sa naturang lungsod.
“Sa pamumuno ng isang Bryan Encarnacion, na nagpakilalang alyas Bryan Adame, ay gumawa ng walang katotohanang reklamo ang mga ilegalista at isinubo sa mapagtiwalang taga-media upang siraan at guluhin ang aming legal na STL games,” pahayag ng authorized agent na Lucent Gaming and Entertainment Corp.
Sinabi nito na ang nagpakilalang si Bryan Adame ay kasalukuyang nahaharap sa inihain nilang kasong kriminal, at siya ay minsan na ring naaresto ng pulisya sa ilegal na operasyon ng lotteng na gamit ang mga resulta ng lotto play ng PCSO.
Tao umano si Encarnacion alyas Bryan Adame ng kilalang ilegalista sa QC sa tawag na alyas Peryako na hinihinalang nasa likod ng naaresto ng NCRPO operatives na mga kolektor ng lotteng at jueteng sa naturang lungsod.
Kamakailan lang ay nagpakalat ang grupo ni Encarnacion alyas Adame ng umano’y mga gawa-gawang istorya na sila’y ginigipit ng lehitimong STL agent sa QC na Lucent.
“Walang katotohanan ang lahat na mga sinasabing reklamo kasi ‘yang grupo ni Encarnacion alyas Adame ay hindi kailanman naging bahagi ng aming lehitimong STL games,” paliwanag ng Lucent.
Kasalukuyan nang nakipag-ugnayan ang nasabing authorized STL agent sa pamahalaang Lungsod Quezon, sa lokal na pulisya at sa PCSO upang tugisin ang umano’y mga ilegalistang sina Bryan Encarnacion alyas Adame at iba pang nagpapataya ng jueteng at lotteng sa naturang lungsod na sinasabing “humihigop” sa revenue share sana ng gobyerno mula sa lehitimong operasyon ng lokal na loterya.
APAT na katao ang inaresto ng mga operatiba ng Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) matapos tangkang guluhin ang legal na operasyon ng Small Town Lottery sa Albay province.
Dalawa sa mga inaresto ay kinilalang sina Ferlixberto Manuel at Enrique Somera, samantalang dalawang iba pa ang hindi pa matukoy ang pangalan.
Sina Manuel at Somera ay binibigyan ng pagkakataong makapagpiyansa ng halagang tig-30,000 bawat isa base na rin sa ‘inquest resolution’ na nilagdaan ni Assistant City Prosecutor Ma. Czarina S. Lanuzo ng Ligao City Prosecutors Office.
Sila ay ini-inquest ng mga operatiba ng CIDG Albay sa pangunguna ni Master Sergeant John Julius Salas.
Nabatid na nitong nakalipas na April 23, nagtungo ang grupo ng mga suspect sa tanggapan ng Royal Fortune Gaming Corporation sa Washington Drive, Legaspi City.
Nagpakilala umano ang mga suspect na sila ang bagong grupo at opisyales ng Royal Fortune Gaming Corporation, bagay na itinanggi ng mga namamahala nito.
Ang Royal Fortune Gaming Corporation ang legal na may hawak ng prangkisa sa operation ng STL sa Albay province, base na rin sa ibinigay na pahintulot sa kanila ng Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).
Bitbit ng mga suspect ang isang ‘board resolution’ ng naturang kompanya na isang peke at huwad, ayon na rin sa pamunuan nito.
Sa presinto, sinabi ng mga suspect na napag-utusan umano sila ng isang alyas Anthony A upang ipatupad ng pekeng dokumento ng hawak ng mga ito na naging dahilan din ng agaran nilang pagkakaaresto sa pulisya.
Nabatid na mismong PCSO officials ang nagsabing hindi pa nababago ang mga opisyales ng Royal Fortune Gaming Corporation at hinihinalang may isang grupo lamang ang nais manggulo sa STL operation sa lalawigan.
Si Anthony A, ayon na rin sa importante ay tayo naman ng mag-aaswang negosyante na tinukoy sa pangalant Mr. And Mrs. Reyes at ang padrino nila ay isang alyas Lagman.
Kakuntsaba rin umano ng mga ito ang mga nagngangalang Jun DS at Jayson M.
By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Just like Rod Stewart’s song “Some Guys Have All the Luck,” the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has taken exception.
Contrary to the expose’ by way of a Senate privilege speech of Senator Raffy Tulfo claiming that a lone bettor won 20 times in just one month, the PCSO on Wednesday (13 March 2024) clarified that the 20 lotto wins allegedly made by a single person were not scooped from its multimillion-peso jackpot games.
“What Sen. Tulfo 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 PCSO asserted in a statement.
The PCSO claimed that the 20 lotto wins Tulfo was referring to were won from PCSO’s minor games.
It stressed that the person Tulfo cited was not necessarily the winner.
“The real issue here therefore is the claimant, and not the number of times that he supposedly won as what Sen. Tulfo seemed to have assumed,” the PCSO pointed out.
“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 explained.
It claimed winners turn to the “paki-claim” scheme due to their lack of valid IDs and the distance of PCSO offices from their homes.
“[S]ome 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,” the PCSO maintained.
(el Amigo/MNM)
MANILA — The year 2024 is fast shaping up to be a banner and record-breaking year for the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) as it continues to register record sales, while also churning out multi-millionaires one after the other to the delight of millions of Filipino bettors.
In a record-setting week since General Manager Mel Robles took the helm in July 2022, the PCSO had managed to produce two multi-millionaires in succession resulting in the charity body giving away some P1.4-B in prizes in just two days.
“Ito naman talaga ang gusto natin. Ang makapagbigay tayo ng kasiyahan sa ating mga mananaya at sa ganoon ay patuloy nilang tangkilikin ang mga laro natin sa PCSO,” GM Robles said.
(This is what we want. To bring hope and joy to our bettors for them to continue patronizing and trusting our games at the PCSO).
He continued: “Habang mas maraming tumataya ay mas marami rin ang matutulungan nating mga kababayan. Ang sabi ko nga sa bawat taya, may kawanggawa.”
(The more people who would patronize our games, the more help and assistance we can render to our countrymen who are in need. As I always say, more bets, equals more charity services.)
GM Robles stated after a lone winner finally hit the Grand Lotto 6/55 jackpot worth over P698 million on Wednesday night (Jan. 17) with the correct combination of 24-50-52-09-51-03 through E-Lotto.
This is the first major jackpot win secured through the online platform since its launch in early December 2023.
It was the second time in as many days that a lone winner bagged over P600 million in a lotto draw.
On Tuesday, Jan. 16, a bettor won P640,654,817.60 with the combination 26-33-14-48-06-42 in the Super Lotto 6/49 draw.
Meantime, a lone winner won the UltraLotto 6/58 on December 29, or barely three days before New Year which carried a prize of over P571 million, the biggest jackpot in 2023.
To recall, the PCSO on Dec. 16, 2023, raised the minimum guaranteed jackpot of the Grand Lotto 6/55, Ultra Lotto 6/58, and, later on, SuperLotto 6/49 to a whopping P500-million each as part of its ‘Handog Pakabog’ Christmas draws.
Before the New Year, the Agency also raised the jackpot prizes of Lotto 6/42 and MegaLotto 6/45 to P100 million each.
Three bettors hit the 6/42 jackpot on Jan. 02, which carried a prize of over P108 million.
Meantime, the Megalotto 6/45 jackpot worth more than P121.8 million was won on January 8 which was split by two winners.
Record 1-day sales
Aside from giving away huge prizes, the PCSO is also continuing to draw more bettors after it recorded P265 million in one-day sales on Tuesday (January 16).
The amount was the highest recorded one-day sales in over five years or since October 14, 2018, when the prize pot reached P1.18 billion.
(el Amigo/MNM)
MANILA — A lone winner from Albay who bagged the P571-M jackpot prize of the Ultra Lotto 6/58 drawn last Friday (29 Dec 2023), claimed the winnings on Tuesday ( January 2).
The winner who correctly guessed the winning numbers 19-35-25-42-58-05, later declared that PCSO games and draws were authentic.
“Ang masasabi ko lang sa mga nagsasabi na hindi totoo ang mga nanalo sa Lotto ay nagkakamali po kayo,” the bettor said.
“Kailangan niyo tumaya para malaman niyo na totoo ang lotto”.
The new multi-millionaire plans to put the winnings into savings and give a portion to charity.
The winner had been betting regularly on the Scratch It games for the past four years.
But it was only the second time that the winner placed a bet on PCSO lotto draws using a lucky pick betting system.
The bettor confessed that the huge prize offered under “Handog Pakabog” prompted her to try her luck on the 6/58 lottery.
She claimed the winnings at the PCSO Main Office two days into 2024.
To recall, the PCSO hiked the minimum guaranteed jackpot for the Ultra Lotto 6/58 and Grand Lotto 6/55 to guaranteed P500 million each on December 16, 2023, in line with the agency’s ‘Handog Pakabog’ Christmas draws.
General Manager Melquiades Robles said this is to show the PCSO’s gratitude to lotto patrons during the Yuletide season.
The jackpot prize for 6/55, which is now at P574 million, remains up for grabs.
Under the TRAIN Law, winnings over P10,000 are subject to a 20% tax, which will be automatically deducted from the total prize.
(El Amigo)
MANILA — The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) on Monday (Dec. 11, 2023) turned over patient transport vehicles (PTVs) to local government units (LGUs) in La Union (2), Pangasinan (5), Isabela (2), Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Batangas (4), Laguna (3), Occidental Mindoro, Sorsogon (3), Iloilo, and Mt. Province.
The turnover ceremony was held at the Wack-Wack Golf and Country Club in Mandaluyong City.
The PTVs are among the 225 units procured in 2022, which are being turned over to various LGUs in batches.
PCSO General Manager Mel Robles said they aim to complete the vehicle donation by Monday, Dec. 18.
GM Robles added the agency targets to give at least one PTV to each of the nearly 2,000 municipalities in the country.
He disclosed that there are 379 PTV units procured for 2023 and 1,000 more for 2024.
“We assure you this is our solid plan; the pledge of the President nung sinabi niyang dapat dalhin sa mamamayan ang serbisyo,” he explained. “There’s no other way of bringing that (service) than the ambulances that we have.”
“We hope sa pamamagitan nito ay maibaba natin ang serbisyo ng pamahalaan sa lahat ng mamamayan,” GM Robles continued.
Each PTV unit costs around P2.2 million, with basic equipment such as a stretcher, oxygen tank, blood pressure (BP) monitor, and wheelchair for medical emergencies.
Its main purpose is the fast and safe transport of patients to hospitals.
Meantime, GM Robles also shared that the PCSO has doubled its charity fund for 2024, emphasizing the agency’s mandate as the government’s charity arm to help Filipinos in terms of financial, educational, and medical assistance, among others.
The PTV donation is under the PCSO’s Medical Assistance Program.
(ai/mnm)