PCSO's Balutan, Atong Ang clash over STL earnings

Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) General Manager Alexander Balutan has locked horns with gaming consultant Charlie "Atong" Ang over PCSO's P5.018-billion earnings from the expanded Small Town Lottery (STL) from January to May.

Ang accused Balutan of "sugarcoating" the actual sales of STL, saying since STL has a potential gross revenue of P5 billion a month, earnings from the five-month period should be higher than P5 billion or at least P25 billion.

"With General Manager Balutan's statement, niloloko lang niya ang gobyerno," Ang said in a statement Thursday. "I'm challenging them to show the breakdown and I will prove that they are sugarcoating the actual sales of STL."

Balutan flatly denied Ang's accusation. "There is no way that the government can under-declare its revenues under the expanded STL," he said.

"There is no sugarcoating that the PCSO is already gaining ground in its fight against illegal gambling. We’ve gained P5.018-billion from January to May and that is a 173.38 percent increase from the past year. That is a fact," Balutan added.

The PCSO introduced the STL to combat jueteng, an illegal numbers game.

Balutan dared Ang to prove his claim with evidence.

"Come here to my office and I'll be more than willing to open the books of my agency for you," Balutan said. "Release evidence, Atong, and don't just go on babbling."

Ang has been critical of Balutan, a retired military general, as well as PCSO chairman Jose Jorge Corpuz, a retired policeman. He said both are undeserving of their current posts.

"It needs an expert and well-connected network to run the gaming business," Ang said. "Hindi puwede na kung sino-sino lang magpatakbo, it requires a concerted effort with all players in the industry which you have to build through times.".

Balutan, meanwhile, blasted Ang for his alleged unpaid tax liabilities that he said are currently being looked upon by the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

"Maybe you could use your P2.37 billion monthly income from jueteng and the virtual two numbers game to settle your P25-billion unpaid taxes to the government," he said. —KBK, GMA News

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