Melquiades Robles, the general manager of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), was urged to step down.
Surigao del Norte Representative Robert Ace Barbers stated that the PCSO official should resign, considering public trust.
PCSO General Manager Urged to Resign
General Manager of PCSO Urged to Resign
PCSO – The call for the resignation of Melquiades Robles, the General Manager of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, has been made amidst a loss of public trust in the wake of a lottery controversy.
Surigao del Norte Representative Robert Ace Barbers stressed the principle that “public office is a public trust,” asserting that when trust is lost, delicadeza, at the very least, should prompt one to resign. The controversy surrounding the lottery involves concerns about the authenticity of lottery draws due to consecutive jackpot wins and edited photos of winners.
Barbers questioned the necessity of publishing pictures of winning bettors, arguing that Robles, in an attempt to dispel rumors about draw legitimacy and winner authenticity, used AI technology. However, according to Barbers, this effort backfired, creating a scandal rather than addressing concerns.
The issue, as Barbers sees it, has escalated from a confined matter to a full-blown scandal, and he insists that nothing short of Robles’s removal or resignation could quell the fire.
Drawing a comparison to a 90s magic show, Barbers highlighted the lotto shows’ capacity to amaze the audience but noted that, in this case, it has become a competition with a different outcome – a scandal rather than entertainment.
Barbers expressed skepticism that excuses would be sufficient to restore public trust in the state-sponsored lottery, which funds health and medical programs nationwide. He attributed this situation to failed vetting processes, emphasizing the need for officials with integrity and competence in public service positions.
Highlighting previous controversies under Robles’ leadership, Barbers cited a case in October 2022 where 433 winners supposedly won a P236 million jackpot prize. He concluded by underscoring the importance of integrity and competence in public service.
“It used to be that integrity, honesty, competence and knowledge of the job are the qualifications used in measuring firmness of public officials. Now, a lot of agencies are in disarray due to incompetence of those at the helm. While the President continues to effect changes for the betterment of public service, this agency should be in his priority list. The people want officials with integrity,” he said.