Lotto winner borrows money for fare to Manila

A 52-year-old low-salaried government worker of Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur, was forced to borrow money, although rejected by many of his neighbors, to defray the cost of plane fares that would take him and his wife to Manila to claim the P40,230,496.80 jackpot he won on the December 11 lotto draw.

As much as they wanted to, they could not claim the winnings early because they did not have the money to buy plane tickets.

The government worker and his wife approached neighbors after learning that one of his two System 7 bets (each worth P140) matched last Sundays' Super Lotto 6/49 winning combination of 48-18-42-08-21-34, giving him the prize at stake.

They practically begged their neighbors to lend them money so they could buy airplane tickets to Manila. Not one of their neighbors played Good Samaritan.. If only they knew.

Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) General Manager Jose Ferdinand M. Rojas II said the winner started playing lotto in 1997, doing it regularly even as his family struggled with day-to-day survival.

When they did not get any help from their neighbors, the couple went to another village and got some amount from some people, eventually accumulating enough for their tickets, Rojas said.

They arrived in Manila Thursday after four days of practically begging for help, he added.

Citing a report by Lauro A Patiag, PCSO's Internal Audit Department manager, Rojas said the government employee used birth dates and ages of his wife and four children for his bets.

For the December 11 draw of 6/49, the PCSO official said the winner had two System 7 bets, for a total of 14 six-number combination.

By EDD K. USMAN
mb.com.ph

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