PCSO admits editing viral photo of lotto winner due to privacy reasons

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 18) — The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) on Thursday admitted that the viral photo of a recent ₱43-million lotto jackpot winner was poorly edited.

PCSO General Manager Melquiades Robles told a Senate inquiry that the photo was edited to conceal the identity of the winner.

«I agree it was a very poor editing, but the objective was to conceal the clothing na makapag-identify sa kanya,» said Robles.

[Translation: I agree it was a very poor editing, but the objective was to conceal the clothing that could identify her.]

The PCSO official explained that there were previous lotto winners who complained that they were still identified through their clothes in the photos even if their faces were covered.

Hence, the government-owned corporation decided to photoshop even the clothes of the latest winner. Netizens, however, poked fun at the seemingly unrealistic image of the lucky bettor from Bulacan.

The winner of the 6/42 jackpot is a 47-year-old housewife from San Jose del Monte. According to PCSO, her winning lotto numbers were taken from her family's birthdates and two other «lucky» numbers.

The PCSO also assured that the Bulacan bettor is a real individual and not edited.

«Tunay na tao po 'yan [That's a real person],» said Robles.