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MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday teased Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board member Sandra Cam to improve ties with the state charity arm’s general manager, Alexander Balutan.
Cam and Balutan have been trading barbs over several issues involving the PCSO, including the agency’s Christmas party and supposed involvement of some officials to illegal gambling operations.
During a situation briefing in Legazpi City, Albay, Duterte asked Cam if it is possible for the PCSO to release more funds for the relief operations for residents displaced by the eruption of Mayon Volcano in the province.
“Kaibiganin mo na si Balutan,” Duterte told Cam as the Chief Executive asked if the state charity arm could still release more funds for the relief operations.
Duterte personally handed checks worth P25 million to the Albay local government during the situation briefing, P5 million of which came from the PCSO.
The President also vowed to release P50 million more in the coming days.
Prior to this, the government had already released, as of January 28, P54 million worth of assistance, coursed through the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health, Office of Civil Defense, local government units and non-government organizations.
Cam had tagged Balutan and other PCSO executives in alleged irregularities, including mounting a lavish multimillion Christmas party for the agency in December.
Balutan defended the P6.3-million affair, saying the PCSO was authorized to spend P14 million for the holiday event.
Cam also accused Balutan and former PCSO chairman Jose Jorge Corpuz of receiving the backing of businessman Bong Pineda, who is allegedly behind operations of illegal numbers game ‘jueteng.’
The PCSO general manager, in turn, accused Cam of plotting to replace him to allow gambling operator Charlie “Atong” Ang to monopolize small town lottery.
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