PCSO ordered by SC to pay P12M to bettor who damaged his winning ticket

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MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has been ordered by the Supreme Court to pay more than P12 million to a bettor, who damaged his winning 6/42 lotto ticket by a flat iron.

The man’s winning ticket was inadvertently crumpled by his granddaughter, and so the mother straightened the ticket by using a flat iron and using a cloth to protect it. But this partially damaged the ticket. 

And eventually, after going through the PCSO to claim the ticket, he was told that the ticket could no longer be validated and that he could not claim his prize.

He eventually filed a case at the RTC in Batangas, which ruled in his favor.

PCSO elevated the case to the Court of Appeals, but they also lost, prompting the filing of a petition with the SC. The SC upheld the Court of Appeals ruling favoring the man, the bettor winning the lotto jackpot.

SC decision on PCSO petition for review

In the 17-page Supreme Court decision, the SC’s second division, through Associate Justice Jhosep Lopez, denied the petition for review filed by PCSO, which seeks to reverse the Court of Appeals decision. The Court of Appeals’ ruling affirmed the Batangas Regional Trial Court’s decision favoring the lotto jackpot winner.

On October 2, 2014, the man placed three bets for the Lotto 6/42 draw using the lucky pick method. The following day, he learned that he got all the six digits. However, his granddaughter inadvertently crumpled the winning ticket, prompting his daughter to flatten it with a flat iron protected by a cloth. However, the process partially damaged the ticket, making few details discernible, such as the first two digits of the three bet combinations, the purchase location, draw and purchase dates, and the time of purchase.

PCSO: Ticket could no longer be verified

He presented the ticket to the PCSO in Mandaluyong City on October 5, 2014. He was instructed to provide a handwritten account of the incident. However, after submitting his affidavit to the legal department, PCSO told him that the ticket could no longer be validated; thus, he could not claim the prize.

His situation became the subject of several hearings at the House of Representatives, which recommended that the prize be given to him. He made demands to PCSO but was ignored, prompting him to file a case with the RTC of Batangas, who ruled in his favor. PCSO elevated the case to the Court of Appeals, but they also lost, prompting the filing of a petition with the SC.

Ambigous provisions

In agreeing with the Court of Appeals, the SC said the PCSO Amended Games and Rules and Regulations for Lotto 6/42 had ambiguous provisions, open to two interpretations.

Under its rules, tickets with all six selected numbers corresponding to the official winning numbers shall be classified as Category 1 prizes. While the PCSO emphasized the need for complete physical tickets for prize money disbursement, the House Committee on Games viewed the selection of the winning number combination as the primary condition precedent.

The SC said PCSO rules did not reference a “winning ticket” but only defined “ticket” as that produced by a terminal to confirm the selection of number by the customer.

“Stated otherwise, the ticket is only proof of the fact that the bettor selected the winning combination of numbers,” the SC said.

Bettor established he managed to bet on winning numbers

Besides, the SC said the bettor has established, based on secondary evidence, that he managed to bet on the winning numbers.

“The testimonial of the [winning bettor] and his relatives, substantiated by records of sweepstakes office itself, surrounding the fact that he entered a lotto bet and that the chosen numbers correspond to the winning lotto number, were rightly admissible and given weight,” the SC said.

To be exact, the SC said the PCSO should pay the bettor P12,391,600.00 jackpot prize. The amount shall earn legal interest of six percent per annum from the date of finality of the decision until fully paid.

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