Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) General Manager Mel Robles on Friday, January 26, maintained that lotto is a “game of chance” following doubts in the Senate about the legitimacy of jackpot winners.

“This is a game of chance. Kung kaya lang namin walang manalo para lumaki ang jackpot, kahit mismong kami, gusto man naming dayain ay hindi namin kaya,” Robles told DZRH in an interview.

Senator Raffy Tulfo earlier stated that he would probe the jackpot winners after the recent viral edited photo of a winning bettor "raised doubts and suspicions from the public."

“Game of chance ito. May mga panahong matagal na may nanalo, at may bigla na lang din nananalo. In life, sanay na sanay tayong kontrolado ang mga bagay. Minsan, one of the moments na you have to leave it to chance ang odds,” the PCSO chief added.

Robles explained that the agency has a system in place to prevent the lotto draw from getting rigged.

“Bago pa sila nagduda, chineck ko na personally. Kaya ngayon, kapag may nanalo, nasa flashdrive lahat ng taya. At hawak ng PCSO in a separate system, isasaksak po yun para mabasa habang din-draw yung bola real time,” he said.

“There is no way na makaka-insert ng kahit anong data kasi sinasabayan ang paglabas ng bola, key-in na yun based on the flashdrive,” he added.

The PCSO chief invited Senators to visit the procedure of Lotto draws, stating that they would be open to accommodate them to bolster the public’s interest.

“Kaya iniimbitahan natin ang mga Senador to come and visit and check yung aming sistema at procedure ng draw,” Robles said.

“Open kami sa ahat ng susuri, pampalakas sa amin 'yan [...] Gusto namin na masuri kami dahil magkaka-interes ang mga tao, nakakatuwa 'yan. At makikitang walang anomaly,” he continued.