April 28, 2026 — A 50-year-old man was arrested in Mandaluyong City after attempting to claim a ₱172-million jackpot prize using a tampered lottery ticket, according to the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO). Authorities confirmed that the ticket had already been claimed by its rightful owner earlier this month.

The suspect presented what he claimed was a winning ticket at the PCSO office along Shaw Boulevard in Barangay Wack-Wack on April 27. Verification through the official lotto database and cotejo system immediately established that the winning combination had already been claimed on April 13 by the legitimate winner.

Police said closer examination revealed clear signs of tampering, including handwritten entries made using a ballpen. The PCSO Data Center and Security Office confirmed that the ticket had been altered. “May process kami para malaman natin kung winning ticket siya. Kung winning ticket siya, ipo-process na namin siya for payment. Pero, doon palang sa initial, 'yung pagpasok nung ticket na 'yon, kasi meron siyang feature, meron siyang TSN. So, pagpasok yun hindi siya valid winning ticket,” explained Laila Galang, Department Manager of Gaming Technology at PCSO.

The NCRPO reported that the suspect was immediately taken into custody and is now facing charges of falsification of public documents under Article 172 of the Revised Penal Code. Police Major Hazel Asilo, NCRPO spokesperson, revealed that the suspect had a prior arrest record for acts of lasciviousness. “Batay po sa initial verification natin mayroon po siyang kaso previously na acts of lasciviousness. Ang suspek po natin ay kasalukuyang nasa kustodiya po ng Mandaluyong police station,” Asilo said.

NCRPO Director Maj. Gen. Anthony Aberin emphasized that the arrest highlights the effectiveness of Enhanced Managing Police Operations (EMPO), which enables authorities to swiftly detect and prevent fraudulent activities. “The attempt was stopped at the point where facts are verified. EMPO enables us to detect falsification, confirm it with certainty, and act at once,” Aberin stated.

The incident has drawn public attention to the integrity of the PCSO’s lottery system, which relies on advanced verification processes to protect legitimate winners. Officials reiterated that fraudulent claims will be met with immediate legal consequences to safeguard public trust in the national lottery.