Northern Mindanao police close 1,900 PCSO gaming outlets

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines – Following orders from President Rodrigo Duterte, police in Northern Mindanao shut down 1,900 Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) gaming outlets, according to Police LIeutenant Colonel Mardy Hortilloza, spokesperson of the Philippine National Police Region 10 (PNP 10).

“Police Brigadier General Rafael Santiago Jr., received the order from Chief PNP police General Oscar Albayalde early morning on July 27 to conduct operations to close any PCSO gaming schemes and directed his commanders on the ground to implement the order of the President and set a cutoff to submit their reports at 5 pm of the same date,” Hortilloza said.

On July 26, President Duterte ordered the closure of all PCSO games for alleged corruption.

The PNP 10 closed 1,386 small town lotteries, 208 lotto establishments, and 306 Peryahan ng Bayan.

The 1,386 small town lottery closures were broken down as follows

• Cagayan de Oro: 191
• Bukidnon: 603
• Lanao del Norte: 105
• Iligan City: 249
• Misamis Oriental: 235
• Misamis Occidental: 3

The 208 Lotto outlets closed were broken down as follows:

• Cagayan de Oro: 46
• Bukidnon: 52
• Lanao del Norte: 14
• Iligan City: 19
• Misamis Oriental: 29
• Misamis Occidental: 48

The closure of 306 peryahan ng bayan was broken down as follows:

• Cagayan de Oro:73
• Bukidnon: 1
• Misamis Oriental: 232
• Misamis Occidental: 48

“This closures were the product of 583 operations conducted,” Hortilloza said. He also pointed out no closures were made in Camiguin as there were no PCSO gaming outlets in the area.

“PRO 10 will continue to conduct monitoring in our area of responsibilty in the existence of PCSO gaming schemes and will immediately conduct operation to arrest the personalities behind and file the appropriate case against them,” Hortilloza added.– Rappler.com