Dispatch from Crame No. 567:
Sen. Leila M. de Lima's Statement on the PCSO Shutdown - So Many Questions on this Latest Irrational Presidential Act

7/30/19

The last time we heard President Duterte cited intel, what we got was his rubbish matrix that accused members of the opposition in a conspiracy to eject him from office. Now, he claims that shutting down the gaming operations of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office was a decision arrived at from intel. Hindi kaya lutong macau lamang ito?

Tipikal na estilong Duterte itong nangyayari sa PCSO: walang imbestigasyon o totohanan at maayos na imbestigasyon, walang malinaw na plano, walang konsultasyon, walang direksyon, at manhid sa idudulot na epekto sa taumbayan.

Ang masaklap pa rito, hindi ang mga opisyal na tiwali ang direktang tatamaan, kundi ang mga programa at tulong na inaasahan ng mga kababayan natin sa PCSO.

Corruption-plagued PCSO may very well be, or indeed is. But isn't Duterte's cure worse than the disease? Why does he choose a remedy that will kill the whole institution and its stakeholders? Why would the jobs and income of over 1,600 employees and 300,000 lottery operators and sales agents suffer for the wrongdoings and incompetence of those in charge of PCSO's operations? Who appointed these PCSO officials anyway? Why should the indigent patients take the brunt of this order when President Duterte could have just sought the suspension, prosecution and jailing of erring officials?

Shutting down PCSO does not make sense and obviously warrants deep scrutiny. Who gains from the closure of PCSO operations? Obviously, not the indigent stakeholders, nor the PCSO employees and lottery operators and staff. Are vested interests behind this abuse of power? ###

(Access the handwritten copy of Dispatch from Crame No. 567, here: https://issuu.com/senatorleilam.delima/docs/dispatch_from_crame_567)