MANILA—Gaming operations under the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) were suspended due to what Malacañang calls a "growing conspiracy" that the government will be cheated out of its share from the agency's profits.

"There is a massive corruption going on . . . All players and participants of these gaming operations are involved. There's a growing conspiracy to cheat this government and its rightful shares," Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in an interview on ANC Saturday.

When asked where the allegations are based on, Panelo said President Rodrigo Duterte "has all the resources in the world to know what is happening in this country."

Duterte late Friday night ordered police and military to enforce his order to shut down all PCSO gambling operations such as the lotto, Peryahan ng Bayan, small town lottery (STL), and Keno, due to "massive corruption."

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Panelo said that with the development, the Office of the President and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. will "respond" to the need for funding charities, a task that fell on the PCSO.

• PNP shuts down lotto, gaming outlets after Duterte's PCSO suspension order

He added that all PCSO funds will be turned over to the national treasury.

Panelo said Duterte will identify the people involved in the alleged corruption at the PCSO "in due time."

The PCSO said it would ask Duterte to reconsider his order suspending its games.

• PCSO says to appeal President's halt order vs lotto, other games