Lacson: Romualdezes brought ‘hakot’ crowds to anti-govt rallies in Tacloban

 Entertainment
Apr 192014
 
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)

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)

Govt mulls stopping construction of Yolanda bunkhouses

 News
Jan 272014
 
Govt mulls stopping construction of Yolanda bunkhouses

Lacson: No overpricing in Yolanda bunkhouses. Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery chief Panfilo Lacson, in giving update on the rehabilition efforts in Yolanda-hit areas during a press briefing at Malacañang on Monday, January 27, said there was no overpricing in the construction of bunkhouses in Tacloban City. Benhur Arcayan The government is considering stopping the construction of bunkhouses for the victims of Typhoon Yolanda and instead may just give them materials to repair their houses, Presidential Adviser for Rehabilitation and Recovery Sec. Panfilo Lacson said. “Nag-confer kami ni [DPWH] Secretary Babes [Singson] na parang we’ll do away with the bunkhouses na. Bibigyan na lang talaga ng construction materials ‘yung mga tao na gustong magkumpuni ng transition shelters,” Lacson said during a press conference at the Palace on Monday.  “Kasi ‘pag kinumpuni nila ‘yung mga dating bahay nila, in effect those are temporary shelters, kasi ire-relocate din naman sila eventually ‘pag nakakita na ng relocation sites at nagawa na ‘yung mga housing units,” he added. He issued the statement after some Yolanda victims initiated a petition to grant each of their families P40,000 in financial assistance. But even before this, issues of overpricing and substandard bunkhouses also hounded the government. Singson, however, had earlier said he will resign if there was indeed overpricing. On Monday, Lacson confirmed that there was no such thing. “There’s no question, walang overpricing. Kasi pinatingnan ko rin ito. Meron kaming pool of civil engineers who went to the area and took a look at the Read More …

PNoy expects rehab effort in Yolanda-hit areas finished by 2017

 News
Dec 172013
 
PNoy expects rehab effort in Yolanda-hit areas finished by 2017

President Benigno Aquino expects the reconstruction and rebuilding efforts in areas affected by Typhoon Yolanda to be finished by 2017. “Larger investments will be spread over multiple years and will be completed by 2017 if not earlier,” Aquino said in his speech on Wednesday at the briefing for Philippine development partners on reconstruction assistance on Yolanda. He said the rebuilding and repair of infrastructures and construction of temporary houses for the typhoon victims will be done by December 2014. On the other hand, rehabilitation czar Panfilo Lacson said bunkhouses are being prioritized to make it easier for the people to organize their lives. “How can the people engage in livelihood activities or income-generating activities kung walang shelter,” Lacson said. On Monday, Lacson said he is aiming to rehabilitate areas hit by Yolanda within the next three years, or before President Aquino’s term ends in 2016. That wish flies in the face of what some experts are saying will be at least a ten-year process akin to “rebuilding a country.” — Amita O. Legaspi /LBG, GMA News

Lacson: Yolanda-hit areas rehabilitated before PNoy's term ends in June 2016

 News
Dec 012013
 
Lacson: Yolanda-hit areas rehabilitated before PNoy's term ends in June 2016

Fresh from being installed as the new “rehabilitation czar,” Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Monday assured that areas hit by super typhoon Yolanda would be rehabilitated within the next three years, before President Benigno Aquino III’s term ends.  Speaking to reporters at a “kapihan” at the Diamond Hotel in Manila, Lacson said he had already consulted with architects, egineers, urban planners, and lawyers, who told him that rehabilitating Visayas and other areas struck by Yolanda would be “difficult but doable.” “Sa 2016, iyon ang best efforts ko from nasa notes ko [during consultation with experts]. Puwede ba i-complete within the term of PNoy [Aquino]? Sabi nila [experts], doable,” said Lacson, who became Philippine National Police Chief during the presidential term of Joseph Estrada  before becoming a senator. “Siyempre hindi daw completely sure pero doable… If I can accomplish 85 or 90 percent, okay na iyon for me,” Lacson said. —KG, GMA News

COA allows senators to liquidate P500k in expenses via certification

 News
Jun 092013
 
COA allows senators to liquidate P500k in expenses via certification

Senators were given some leeway by the Commission on Audit in the liquidation of their offices’ expenses, as the COA allowed them to liquidate up to P500,000 via certification. Outgoing Senate accounts committee chairman Panfilo Lacson said Sunday that the COA wanted the new guideline to take effect in the second quarter of the year. But he, instead, asked that it take effect January. “Nakiusap na lang ako sabi ko baka pwede retroact to January 2013 para medyo lumuwag kaunti, para may flexibility ang senador,” he said in an interview on dzBB radio. The new COA rules stemmed from accusations by senators, including Miriam Santiago, of uneven distribution of maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) funds in the Senate. Previously, lawmakers could account for their expenses even without receipts, through certification. But the COA refused recognize such liquidations. Last January, the Senate and House of Representatives agreed to change their practice of liquidating by mere certification. Lacson said that while he had no problem with liquidation since he already accounted for his office’s expenses, many senators were finding it difficult with the use of certifications. — DVM, GMA News

Lacson’s parting advice for Enrile: Avoid ‘rosy cheeks’

 News
Jun 092013
 
Lacson’s parting advice for Enrile: Avoid ‘rosy cheeks’

Watch your temper and avoid getting “rosy cheeks.” This was outgoing Sen. Panfilo Lacson’s parting advice to former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, who still has three years left on his term as a senator. In a radio interview, Lacson explained that the “rosy cheeks” remark referred to high blood pressure. “Pinuntahan ko siya sa office niya noong after mag-resign [bilang Senate President si Sen. Enrile]. Umakyat ako sa opisina niya, pinasyalan ko muna. Isa lang ang advice ko sa kanya, ‘May tatlong taon ka pa sa Senado, huwag ka masyadong mainit ang ulo kasi nagro-rosy cheeks.’ Pag rosy cheeks tumataas ang blood pressure,” Lacson said on dzBB radio. Lacson is leaving the Senate after serving two consecutive six-year terms, the maximum allowed by the 1987 Constitution. Enrile’s second consecutive six-year term ends in 2016. Lacson said Enrile’s “rosy cheeks” had shown itself last year, during the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona, and when he had a heated exchange with Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano. “Nakakaalala rin, mahirap yan, traydor ang blood pressure,” he said. Lacson also belied claims by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV that Enrile’s irrevocable resignation last Wednesday was just “drama.” He said that when he went to Enrile’s office, he saw the staff was already packing and preparing to leave. Inkling Lacson said he had an inkling Enrile was going to resign when he saw Enrile’s privilege speech on the day’s agenda. Had he found out earlier, Lacson said he would have tried to dissuade Enrile Read More …

Govt urged to drop charges vs. Mancao

 News
Feb 202013
 
Govt urged to drop charges vs. Mancao

A former lawyer of erstwhile Senior Superintendent Cezar Mancao II on Wednesday appealed to the government to finally discharge Mancao as an accused in the Dacer-Corbito double murder case. Ferdinand Topacio noted how all the principal accused in the case, except Mancao, had already been cleared from charges and are now living normal lives. “It is becoming exceedingly ironic that many of the principal accused in the Dacer-Corbito Double Murder Case have been able to assume normal lives, while a person who has risked his all for the government to be able to pursue the prosecution of the case – former Colonel Cezar Mancao —  remains detained and jobless,” said Topacio. Sen. Panfilo Lacson, allegedly one of the masterminds in the killing of publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito in November 2000, has already been cleared by the Court of Appeals in a ruling that was later on upheld by the Supreme Court. The SC said the Dacer family can no longer appeal the CA’s decision because the government, represented by the Office of the Solicitor General, has decided to forego its opportunity to file an appeal. Another suspect, former Superintendent Glenn Dumlao, has already been reinstated in the Philippine National Police and has recently been embroiled in a controversial encounter between security forces and suspected criminals in Atimonan, Quezon. Meanwhile, former police intelligence officer Michael Ray Aquino has recently been ordered released by a Manila court and is reportedly seeking reinstatement as a police officer, according Read More …