De Lima calls for Senate probe on PCSO squabble

MANILA - Detained Sen. Leila de Lima has called for a Senate investigation into the internal squabble among officials of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) following corruption allegations made by the agency's new board member Sandra Cam.

De Lima on Monday filed Senate Resolution No. 578, saying a probe is necessary to shield the PCSO from "improper influence and interference from personalities with vested interests."

"[Its] image should not be tarnished and its operations affected by the internal politics of the high-ranking personalities in the agency,” she said in a statement Tuesday.

In December, Cam, a former jueteng whistleblower, had publicly criticized the agency's lavish Christmas party and claimed that PCSO general manager Alexander Balutan had threatened her.

• Sandra Cam seeks Senate probe of 'lavish' PCSO Christmas party
• Sandra Cam files complaint for grave threat vs Balutan

She also criticized the PCSO’s expanded small town lottery (STL) operations, claiming operators under-declare their monthly income, causing government hundreds of millions in losses per month.

She accused the agency's top officials of reportedly cutting the agency’s allocation for charity funds by P1.3 billion.

• PCSO officials trade barbs over STL operations

Balutan, however, had dismissed Cam's claims and instead accused her of using her post for political gains.

He also claimed that Cam was plotting to replace him to allow businessman Atong Ang to monopolize STL. Ang denied Balutan's claims.

• Balutan ready to answer Cam's corruption allegations

De Lima said claims of both Cam and Balutan should be investigated by the Senate for fairness.

The lawmaker had once called Cam an "evil woman," saying she should be investigated for alleged involvement in swindling, illegal gambling and narcotics.

• De Lima: Sandra Cam must be jailed, not appointed to govt

"Hindi puwedeng one-sided lang ang imbestigasyon. Let’s be fair here," she said.

The senator also raised the importance of investigating Ang's previous claim that Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II and National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon were involved in a plot to kill him.

Ang had claimed that the officials wanted to weaken virtual jai alai operations of Meridien Vista Gaming Corporation, where he is general manager, in order to promote STL.

Aguirre and Esperon had denied any wrongdoing and the justice chief ordered an investigation into Ang's accusation.

Read De Lima's full resolution here: