THE Supreme Court junked the petition of former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) Chairman Manuel Morato to stop the transfer of the agency’s headquarters from the Quezon Institute complex in Quezon City to the Philippine International Convention Center in Manila.

The court’s Third Division said the PCSO board resolutions allowing the transfer of the headquarters were issued in accordance with existing laws.

In its decision, the court said the petitioner failed to show any grave abuse of discretion by the board of directors of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office in issuing the board resolution on the transfer of the agency’s headquarters. PCSO Chairman Margarita Juico welcomed the court ruling, which, she said, “affirmed the present PCSO board’s deep concern for the safety” of its employees and beneficiaries.

“The unfounded case brought as much pain and distress to the present board but their faith in the judicial system did not disappoint them,” Juico said.

In his petition, Morato said the decision to transfer the PCSO headquarters was “whimsical and done without regard to the plight of the PCSO employees.”

He said public funds would be unnecessarily spent for the transfer of the PCSO headquarters, which runs counter to President Aquino’s austerity and cost-cutting measures.