House Minority Leader and 4Ps Party-list Rep. Nonoy Libanan wants to get to the bottom of the Grand Lotto draw that produced an astounding 433 winners for its P236-million jackpot prize.
Libanan filed on Tuesday, Oct. 4 House Resolution (HR) No. 463, which prods the Committee on Games and Amusements to hold an inquiry into the 6/55 Lotto draw carried out by the state-run Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).
It was the particular draw last Oct. 1 that produced the "extremely rare outcome" of having over 400 jackpot winners, according to Libanan.
In his resolution, Libanan cited the need for Congress “to protect and ensure the integrity” of the Lotto draws, which contribute in a big way to government coffers and--through the PCSO--help finance public health programs as well as medical assistance and services to indigents.
“We also have to safeguard the hopes and dreams of millions of Filipinos that patronize the Lotto draws every day,” said the veteran lawmaker.
The 4Ps solon noted that the Lotto draws over the years “have inspired many Filipinos to buy tickets in the hope of winning a life-changing amount of money".
During Saturday’s 6/55 draw, a total of 433 individuals wagered on the same winning combination--09, 45, 36, 27, 18, 54--numbers that are all divisible by 9.
They shared the jackpot prize to the tune of around P545,000 each, excluding tax deductions.
The highly unusual result “has triggered widespread social and traditional media discussion on whether fraud had attended the draw", Libanan pointed out.
The PCSO has reassured the public that the Lotto draws are being conducted in accordance with the highest standards of transparency, honesty and fairness.
In his resolution, Libanan noted that the PCSO sold P25.92 billion worth of Lotto tickets from January to June this year, up 32.15 percent compared to sales in the same six-month period in 2021.
Aside from generating government revenues, Libanan said Lotto operations also provide economic and employment opportunities to small lotto agents, tellers and terminal technicians, among others.