Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Saturday warned other government agencies against brazenly offering budget funds to senators, following his disclosure of an P5-million “allocation fund” offer linked to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
Lacson also instructed his staff to provide TESDA Secretary Jose Francisco Benitez with all available details of the “offer” to help in its internal investigation of the incident.
In Filipino: Lacson Nagbabala sa mga Ahensya Laban sa Garapal na Pag-aalok ng Pondo ng Badyet sa mga Senador
“They didn’t know me, now they do. Huwag ganoon katapang. Ang tapang-tapang mag-offer. E tulad niyan na-offer-an mo, ayaw tumanggap, ma-expose pa ahensya nyo, magpapaliwanag pa (They didn’t know me, now they do. Don’t be so brazen in making offers, because if the one you attempt to offer has a track record of resisting such offers, you will be exposed and you’ll have a lot to explain),” he said in an interview on DWIZ radio.
“Pangit yan, siguradong pera ng gobyerno yan, sa budget yan, bakit mo pamimigay (It is not good to offer money that belongs to the government, why are you giving it away when it is not yours to give)?” he added.
Earlier Saturday, Lacson disclosed he rejected a P5-million “allocation fund” relayed through his Senate staff earlier this week. Lacson said he will seek clarification on the matter when the TESDA’s 2027 budget comes up for plenary debate in November.
Following Lacson’s expose, Benitez issued a statement denying he authorized anyone to offer any allocation, and that he has ordered an immediate internal investigation into the matter.
“I instructed my staff to provide the good secretary with all available details to help their internal investigation get to the bottom of the issue,” Lacson said.
In the DWIZ interview, Lacson said initial information he received indicated the one who relayed the “offer,” a certain “Stephanie,” was a “liaison officer” who was assigned to contact him.
Since he had no way to immediately determine if “Stephanie” was a fixer for TESDA, Lacson decided to expose the “offer” to make it clear that he had not accepted it.
Lacson has consistently rejected “pork” in all its forms, as well as bribe offers a.k.a. lobby money in exchange for voting for or against a legislative measure and in the conduct of inquiries in aid of legislation.
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Lacson Nagbabala sa mga Ahensya Laban sa Garapal na Pag-aalok ng Pondo ng Badyet sa mga Senador
Nagbabala nitong Sabado si Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson sa mga ahensya ng gobyerno laban sa garapal na pag-aalok ng pondo ng badyet sa mga senador, kasunod ng pagsisiwalat niya sa isang alok na ₱5 milyon na “allocation fund” na iniuugnay sa Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
Inatasan din ni Lacson ang kanyang staff na ibigay kay TESDA Secretary Jose Francisco Benitez ang lahat ng impormasyong mayroon sila tungkol sa “alok” upang makatulong sa internal investigation ng ahensya sa insidente.
“They didn’t know me, now they do. Huwag ganoon katapang. Ang tapang-tapang mag-offer. E tulad niyan na-offer-an mo, ayaw tumanggap, ma-expose pa ahensya nyo, magpapaliwanag pa,” ani Lacson sa panayam sa DWIZ radio.
“Pangit yan, siguradong pera ng gobyerno yan, sa budget yan, bakit mo pamimigay?” dagdag niya.
Nauna nang isiniwalat ni Lacson nitong Sabado na tinanggihan niya ang alok na ₱5 milyong “allocation fund” na ipinarating sa pamamagitan ng kanyang staff sa Senado noong unang bahagi ng linggo. Sinabi ni Lacson na hihingi siya ng paglilinaw tungkol sa bagay na ito kapag tinalakay na sa plenaryo sa Nobyembre ang panukalang 2027 budget ng TESDA.
Kasunod ng pagsisiwalat ni Lacson, naglabas ng pahayag si Benitez na itinatanggi ang pagpapahintulot niya sa sinuman na mag-alok ng anumang allocation fund. Sinabi rin niyang iniutos na niya ang agarang internal investigation.
“I instructed my staff to provide the good secretary with all available details to help their internal investigation get to the bottom of the issue,” ani Lacson.
Sa panayam sa DWIZ, sinabi ni Lacson na batay sa paunang impormasyong natanggap niya, ang nagpaabot ng “alok,” na nagpakilalang “Stephanie,” ay isang “liaison officer” na naatasang makipag-ugnayan sa kanya.
Dahil hindi niya agad matukoy kung ang naturang “Stephanie” ay isang fixer para sa TESDA, nagpasya si Lacson na isapubliko ang “alok” upang malinaw na maipabatid na hindi niya ito tinanggap.
Matagal nang tinatanggihan ni Lacson ang “pork” sa lahat ng anyo nito, gayundin ang mga alok na suhol o “lobby money” kapalit ng pagboto pabor o laban sa isang panukalang batas, at kaugnay ng mga imbestigasyong isinasagawa ng Senado bilang tulong sa pagbalangkas ng batas.
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