MANILA - A lawmaker criticized Monday small town lottery operators that have yet to remit P4 billion in revenue to the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

Parañaque Rep. Gustavo Tambunting, chairman of the House of Representatives committee on games and amusement, cited a 2017 Commission on Audit Report on the PCSO that recommended immediate collection from the concerned operators of the short remittances, amounting to P4,049,457,720.

"COA reports show more than P4 billion but looks like it's more. How do we account for it correctly when they do not record it at all in the official accounting books as accounts receivables? They entrust this activity to the operations manager and not the accountant? Tama ba yun," Tambunting said in a text message.

A copy of the COA report said the PCSO immediately demanded payment from the operators, with letters of demand sent to those concerned. The PCSO is evaluating the operators in question.

Under the pertinent rules, the PCSO shall confiscate the bond of the operators upon failure to settle the shortfall. The same report also said the PCSO has already terminated the licenses of some of the erring operators.

Tambunting's statement came after the firing of PCSO general manager Alexander Balutan allegedly over corruption. Balutan has said powerful people were behind the Palace's decision to fire him.

• Sacked PCSO chief Balutan says 'powerful people' behind ouster

With a report by RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News