MANILA, Philippines?The Quezon City Regional Trial Court has temporarily restrained the state-owned Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office from awarding any new contract for wireless lotto betting upon the petition of technology solutions provider DFNN Inc.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Thursday, DFNN said it had obtained a 20-day temporary order of protection (TOP) preventing the PCSO from awarding any contract for wireless betting while DFNN itself was in the midst of seeking a preliminary injunction against the PCSO.

DFNN is currently commencing arbitration proceedings in connection with the cancellation of its equipment lease agreement with the PCSO dated April 9, 2003, under which the IT company was supposed to provide the government corporation with the wireless technology for nationwide lotto betting.

In issuing the order dated February 24, the Quezon City RTC provided that: ?PCSO?s unilateral termination and the subsequent issuance of the PCSO resolution may violate the contractual rights of the petitioner which may lead to irreparable loss or injury on its part."

"If the TOP prayed for by the petitioner is not issued pending the completion of the summary hearings on its petition for preliminary injunction, the said petition may be rendered illusory," it added.