Blames
failure to remit P655 million
By
Mortz C. Ortigoza
DAGUPAN
CITY – Are bettors and winners chances to win and get their prizes in doubt
after the franchise of a small town lottery (STL) in Pangasinan was revoked?
According
to General Manager Alexander F. Balutan of the Philippine Charity Sweepstake,
the Board of Directors of the PCSO terminated the authority of Golden Go Rapid
Gaming Corporation (GGRGC) to operate the STL after its failure to remit the
sum it promised on the presumptive monthly retail receipt (PMRR).
“Article VII, Section 27, item g of the
STL – IRR provides that failure to attain and /or remit the PMRR shall be
subject to termination of your authority to conduct STL operation. It may be
recalled that we have given several considerations and demand for payment on
this matter but to no avail. Likewise, no settlement of your sales shortfall
has been made despite notices,” Balutan wrote, on his
November 6, 2017 letter, Geronomina Choi the President of GGRGC based in this
city.
“In this regard, you are given five days
upon receipt of this notice to file for a motion for reconsideration otherwise
the termination of your STL agreement and authority shall be final and unappeasable
as stipulated in Section 28 of the STL-IRR,” the
General Manager continued.
Mr.
Michael A. Medado, Board Secretary of the PCSO, cited that on October 25, 2017
the Board of Directors of the PCSO during its 20th Regular Board
Meeting held at Sun Plaza Building, Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong City has recommended the cancellation, revocation,
and termination of Golden Go Rapid Gaming Corporation including the forfeiture
of its cash bond to cover the sales shortfall of the Authorized Agent
Corporation (AAC), pursuant to Sections 15 and 27 of the 2016 Revised
Implementing Rules and Regulation.
The deficit of GGRGC ensued since April 28
last year after it could not meet its PMRR when it was authorized to operate in
the almost 3 million populated Pangasinan.
The
STL franchise in the province is one of the biggest in the Philippines.
A
source who asked anonymity said that the franchisee promised to remit P7.5
million a day or P225 million a month.
The
Branch Operations Sector (BOS) of the PCSO reported that the authorized agent
corporation has a sales shortfall amounting to P430, 305, 287.74 as of September
30 this year.
The
same source cited that arrears reached almost P1 billion if the PCSO’s added the
P225, 000,000.00 October 2017 PMRR and the deposit that runs to hundreds of
millions of pesos.
The
BOS reported that despite repeated demands, GGRGC has failed, and has
continually refused to pay and remit its PMRR, as required under the pertinent
provision of the 2016 IRR for STL.
The
Branch Operation Sector also ordered the forfeiture of its cash bond to cover
the sales shortfall of the AAC, pursuant to Sections 15 and 27 of the 2016
Revised IRR.
Golden
Go Rapid Gaming Corporation covers almost the 44 towns and 4 cities’ Pangasinan
on its gambling number games operation where bettors pay a combination of
numbers 1 to 38.
According
to Medado the Board of Directors resolved to terminate and cancel the STL
Agreement with GGRGC and its authorization as the AAC for the operations of the
STL in the province.
“To forfeit the cash bond of GGRGC to
answer to any and all its liabilities, including but not limited to taxes,
penalties and charges, damages for default or violation of any of its
obligation under this IRR and the STL Agency Agreement, such as
non-remittance/under-remittance, shortfall from PMRR, among others,” he
continued.
The
source said GGRGC is doomed already as it could not repay its shortfall since
April last year and its bond that was used by PCSO to pay some of its PMRR.
“Say
after 10 days Golden Rapid received the November 6 letter of Baluyot, then it
has five days to appeal and hand carry it to Manila, then PCSO’s board of
directors finally resolved it, say, after 15 days then the nailing of the
coffin of GGRC will be in the middle of
this coming December,” another source computed.
The
new set of rules embodied in the revised 2016 STL’s rules where PMRR, bonds,
and others were incorporated resulted to the high collections of the government
in the first few months of its operation in the entire country, according to
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre.
Balutan said the 56
franchisee-corporations of the lottery nationwide could collect as much as P30
billion this year where the sum finance President Rodrigo Duterte’s charity
projects and medical programs.HEREUNDER ARE THE OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS FROM THE PCSO:
JOSE EDWIN TANDOC : Thanks Prof. Mortz for the regular tag of news report of your account ,As you have known me I always give my comments to your hottest and latest blogs . But this one of which you mentioned about the revocation of franchise of Golden Go Gaming corporation caught my attention ,Since the office of STL in Urdaneta is just near me ,I found out that the operation still continues , Thus I conducted my own gathering of info ,I also conducted my inquiry on the capability of paying the winning bettor and chances to claim their prizeis doubtful and I got the assurance that they can claim their price as long as they bet their money at the Golden Go Gaming corporation and is fully guaranteed by by PCSO..What I gathered is that they were just asked to make report on why the collectioin target is not attained We all know that they have just operated for less than one year , months pa lang but in fairness the growth of collection is upwards and just like in other business starting "Gapang muna talaga .After all the obstacles befoes being granted that Franchise its not that just easy to revoked a licence according to my realiable source, According to them ,They have complied with all the requirements like a cah bond of 225 million ,,franchise fee of 56 million , The tambiolo alone caused them 600, thousand , the bidders document and bidders bond is almost 100, thousand .I know that you have your sources of information but this one news of yours raised questions from the Golden Go Gaming corporation . Censia na Prof. Mortz ,am just asking how reliable is your Information
ReplyDeleteMORTZ C. ORTIGOZA: Edwin, my data were the board resolution of the PCSO are after my article nasa ilalim Lang you can browse them. The Board voted to revoke and terminate the operation of Rapid Go. The franchisee is still operating because it is under appeal. But with the almost P1 billion shortfalls (computation at my blog) my source doubt if it can continue till December 15. My article is open for criticism thus I tagged you regularly.
ReplyDeleteEDWIN TANDOC: Gd am Prof. Mortz according to my reliable source ,you have pre judged the issue ,since you yourself announced that it is under appeal but announced that their franchise was revoked and you doubted their capablity to pay their bettors and PCSO ,seems misleading the betting public, kung baga di pa tapos boxing ,knock out na kalaban, D ka naman Board of Director o taga PCSO eh you announced and presumed na decided na ang kaso eh ongoing pa ang appeal and the reasons behind why t he projected sales was not attained.They requested me to relay to you and cautioned you not.to announced decisions which will discouraged and misled the bettors especially that there is no final decision yet.Tnx Mr.Prof. Mortz
ReplyDeleteMORTZ ORTIGOZA: Except to my poser or question as introduction to my news article: "Are bettors and winners chances to win and get their prizes in doubt after the franchise of a small town lottery (STL) in Pangasinan was revoked?" (hinde charge iyan, question iyan) All my basis were on the Board Resolution (Read again the three pages resolution at the blog) from PCSO and my source who asked anonymity who is knowledgeable on the nuances of the STL and its Rules and Regulation. BOARD RESOLUTION: (PCSO) resolved to terminate and cancel the STL Agreement with GGRGC and its authorization as the AAC for the operations of the STL in the province. Ni Terminate na pero binigyan pa ng 5 days to appeal, pero may termination na statement.
ReplyDelete“To forfeit the cash bond of GGRGC to answer to any and all its liabilities, including but not limited to taxes, penalties and charges, damages for default or violation of any of its obligation under this IRR and the STL Agency Agreement, such as non-remittance/under-remittance, shortfall from PMRR, among others. SOURCE: GGRGC is doomed already as it could not repay its shortfall since April last year and its bond that was used by PCSO to pay some of its PMRR. ANYWAY THE HEADLINE OF THE NEWS IS "STL DOOMS AFTER PCSO NIXES PERMIT . The headline is not final it is still DOOM -means condemn to certain destruction but not yet destroyed. By the way, because I am not from the Board or from PCSO I don't have the right not to announce what the Board says on its resolution, ano pa ang pagiging media man ko kung di ako magsusulat tungkol sa sinabi ng Board?