Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office to Expedite Release of P12 Million Prize for Damaged Lotto Ticket Following Supreme Court Ruling

Manila – The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has committed to quickly release a prize of PHP12,391,600 to Antonio Mendoza, the holder of a damaged winning lottery ticket.

According to a news release by the Philippines News Agency, general manager Mel Robles met with Mendoza on Wednesday to assure that the prize would be disbursed as soon as all requisite documentation and processes are completed.

Robles stated, “I assured him that I will expedite the process of his claim. There has to be a certificate of finality from the Supreme Court. I will make sure that he enjoys the fruits of his winnings ASAP. I wanted to put a closure on this issue.”

The Supreme Court, in a 17-page ruling issued on September 30, directed the PCSO to release the prize money to Mendoza. The ruling concluded a nine-year legal battle that began when Mendoza discovered he had won the Lotto 6/42 on October 2, 2014, only to find that his winning ticket had been damaged. His granddaughter had crumpled the ticket, and in an attempt to salvage it, Mendoza’s daughter ironed it, partially burning and erasing vital details.

On October 5, 2014, Mendoza submitted a handwritten account of the incident to the PCSO’s legal department at their Main Office in Mandaluyong City. However, due to the damaged state of the ticket, PCSO informed him on October 20, 2014, that he could not claim the prize based on their existing terms for prize claims. This led Mendoza to appeal to the Supreme Court, which recently ruled in his favor.

In addition to releasing the prize money, the PCSO is also ordered to pay legal interest at a rate of 6 percent per annum, starting from the date the court’s decision becomes final.