Presidential Adviser on Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Panfilo M. Lacson answers questions from the media in an interview after he delivered his address at a forum in Makati City last January 23. The former senator had refused to accept his pork barrel funds from the start. He said in a privilege speech that the funds had corrupted legislators. Now, even the members of the media are being named as those who received “payolas.” (MNS photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) – Rehabilitation czar Panfilo Lacson on Wednesday accused politicians from Leyte’s Romualdez clan of ferrying paid crowds to rallies in Tacloban City over the past months to protest the government’s response to Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).
Lacson said Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez provided a “truck bus” to transport residents from an area in Samar not hit by Yolanda to a rally in Tacloban City last February 17.
“Obviously, hakot crowd since those people were not victims of the typhoon,” Lacson said.
He added that Rep. Romualdez already admitted to him through text that the vehicle indeed came from the congressman.
Lacson further said that “vehicles bearing red plates” were also used to ferry protesters in succeeding anti-government rallies in Tacloban.
Citing unnamed sources, Lacson said those who agreed to attend the rally were given or promised P500 each.
“It’s politics and nothing else… I texted them to convey to them that I’m not dumb not to know what is happening on the ground,” Lacson said.
In November last year, Yolanda ripped through central Philippines, leaving over 6,200 dead based on official government records. Tacloban was one of the areas most hit by the weather disturbance. (MNS)