DigiPlus linked to alleged P1-B GSIS investment, alarms Hontiveros

• Photo courtesy of DigiPlus

By TechWatch PH Staff

The online gambling platform DigiPlus has been linked to an alleged P1 billion investments from the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), prompting concern from Senate Deputy Majority Leader Risa Hontiveros.

In a Facebook post, Hontiveros cited apprehensions from the public labor sector about the investment.

“Nababahala ang public labor sector sa lagpas P1 bilyon daw na ininvest ng liderato ng GSIS sa online sugal na DigiPlus,” the senator said.

(The public labor sector is alarmed over reports that the GSIS leadership has invested more than ₱1 billion in the online gambling company DigiPlus.)

In the comments section of the post, Hontiveros added: “The GSIS fund is not an ordinary corporate fund. It comes from the hard work of government employees and serves as preparation for their retirement. There must be stronger transparency and accountability in how GSIS uses the money of public employees.”

She also expressed disagreement with the statement of GSIS President Jose Arnulfo “Wick” Veloso, who described investments such as in DigiPlus as a “calculated risk.”

“I wonder if this ‘calculated risk’ took into consideration the alarming and horrendous social cost of online gambling to our countrymen,” the senator said.

Hontiveros first raised the issue on August 5 during her privilege speech, alleging that the GSIS under Veloso invested in DigiPlus when its shares were priced at a peak of P65.30.

Veloso, along with six other GSIS officials, was placed under preventive suspension by the Office of the Ombudsman last July 11 for grave misconduct, gross neglect of duty, and violation of office rules and regulations.

The suspension stemmed from an investigation report dated January 30 this year.

However, in a ruling dated September 17, Acting Ombudsman Dante Vargas lifted the suspension and ordered Veloso’s reinstatement as GSIS president and general manager.