Tag: William Dar

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Ping: Panahon na Para Publiko ay Umayuda sa Pagsugpo ng Korapsiyon

Mas magiging epektibo at matagumpay ang mga hakbang para basagin ang “vicious cycle” ng korapsiyon, kung makikiisa at magiging aktibo ang publiko sa laban na ito.

Isa ito sa mga nakikitang solusyon ni Senador Panfilo Lacson, sa harap ng katotohanan na naging ugali na ng mga nasasangkot na magpalamig at manahimik lamang muna hanggang sa tuluyan nang makalimutan ng tao ang kanilang ginawa.

“Some officials have lost all sense of shame. Even if charges are filed against them, they just lie low because they know that once the issue dies down and the public no longer thinks much of it, they can go back to their old ways,” banggit ni Lacson sa panayam ng Radyo Katribu.

“That said, the vicious cycle of corruption is not limited to those in government. It takes two to tango: those who corrupt – and the public who wittingly or otherwise turns a blind eye,” dagdag ng mambabatas.

Read in ENGLISH: Lacson: Time for Public to Help End Vicious Cycle of Corruption
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Lacson: Time for Public to Help End Vicious Cycle of Corruption

It is high time to end the vicious cycle involving corruption cases where those involved lie low until the issue dies down – and the public can play a more active role to achieve this, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson said Friday.

Lacson, who has actively participated in many Senate investigations involving corruption cases, said those involved have become brazen in pocketing public funds by exploiting such a cycle.

“Some officials have lost all sense of shame. Even if charges are filed against them, they just lie low because they know that once the issue dies down and the public no longer thinks much of it, they can go back to their old ways,” he said in an interview on Radyo Katribu.

“That said, the vicious cycle of corruption is not limited to those in government. It takes two to tango: those who corrupt – and the public who wittingly or otherwise turns a blind eye,” he added.

Basahin sa TAGALOG: Ping: Panahon na Para Publiko ay Umayuda sa Pagsugpo ng Korapsiyon
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Ping: Pagbusisi sa Pork Importation ‘Tong-pats,’ Pang-Committee of the Whole ang Level

Pinakamainam na Committee of the Whole ng Senado ang mag-imbestiga sa nagsisebong “tong-pats” sa importasyon ng karne ng baboy na paraan ng Department of Agriculture (DA) upang mapunan ang kawalan umano ng suplay bunga ng pananalasa ng African Swine Flu (ASF).

Ayon kay Senador Panfilo Lacson, maraming aspetong saklaw ang nabanggit na kontrobersiya kung kaya’t tama lamang na buong puwersa na ng Senado ang umungkat sa mga detalye nito.

“I am recommending that the Senate convene into a Committee of the Whole to handle the investigation. The ‘tong-pats’ mess has an impact on foregone revenue and corruption, food security, and health. The Committee of the Whole is best suited for this, instead of having the Blue Ribbon Committee and Committees on Agriculture, Ways and Means and Health handle it separately,” paliwanag ni Lacson.

Masyado aniya na malawak ang problema para pangasiwaan lamang ng isa o ilang komite ng Senado ang pagsisiyasat.

Kabilang sa mga maaring masaklaw ay ang usapin sa food security, kaligtasan ng pagkain, ang nawalang koleksiyon ng pamahalaan at ang kalusugan ng publikong kumukunsumo sa mga ito.

Related: Lacson: Committee of the Whole Best Suited to Handle DA ‘Tong-pats’ Probe
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Lacson: Committee of the Whole Best Suited to Handle DA ‘Tong-pats’ Probe

Convening the Senate into the Committee of the Whole will be needed to tackle the wide scope of the problems involving the “tong-pats” mess at the Department of Agriculture, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson said Wednesday.

Lacson said the issues stemming from the mess include food security and a revisiting of the Food Safety Act of 2013 (RA 10611); foregone revenues; and public health.

“I am recommending that the Senate convene into a Committee of the Whole to handle the investigation. The ‘tong-pats’ mess has an impact on foregone revenue and corruption, food security, and health. The Committee of the Whole is best suited for this, instead of having the Blue Ribbon Committee and Committees on Agriculture, Ways and Means and Health handle it separately,” he said.

“My resolution seeking the investigation in aid of legislation may also seek to revisit Republic Act 10611, the Food Security Act of 2013, to address possible loopholes that are being exploited,” he added in an interview on DZXL radio. “Wide masyado ang problema, all-encompassing. Kaya mas maganda kung Committee of the Whole na lang ang hahawak.”

Related: Ping: Pagbusisi sa Pork Importation ‘Tong-pats,’ Pang-Committee of the Whole ang Level
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Ping: Sebo ng ‘Tong-Pats’ sa Imported Baboy, Imbestigahan

Isinusulong ni Senador Panfilo Lacson ang malalimang imbestigasyon ng Senado sa isang sindikatong “tong-pats” sa loob ng Department of Agriculture, na makikinabang sa rekomendasyon ng ahensya na ibaba ang taripa at taasan ang minimum access volume (MAV) ng imported na baboy dahil sa African Swine Fever (ASF).

Ito ay makaraang makarating sa kaalaman ng mambabatas ang impormasyong limpak-limpak ang “tong-pats” na nakokolekta ng ilang mapagsamantalang nasa gobyerno, habang malalagay sa alanganin o tuluyan nang pagkamatay ang lokal na industriya ng babuyan sa bansa, bukod pa sa malaking halagang nawawala sa ekonomiya at manganganib ang kalusugan ng publiko.

“We should unmask who is/are behind this scheme no matter how powerful and influential he may be with this administration. I want to see even a whiff of enthusiasm from the President to order the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission and other concerned agencies to investigate, not to mention heed the call of the Senate to disapprove the DA’s recommendation to reduce the tariff and increase the volume of pork importation. Let’s see,” mariing pahayag ni Lacson.

Nakipag-ugnayan na rin ang mambabatas sa pamunuan ng Mataas na Kapulungan kaugnay sa kanyang hangarin.

“I have talked to Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III to have the Senate look into this, so we can get the documents we need. So far, we have received documents from the Bureau of Customs and DA. Still, we need more data to get to the bottom of the anomaly,” paliwanag ni Lacson sa panayam sa TeleRadyo.

Related: Lacson Pushes Senate Probe of ‘Tong-Pats’ Racket in Hog Importation
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Lacson Pushes Senate Probe of ‘Tong-Pats’ Racket in Hog Importation

Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson pushed Tuesday for a Senate investigation into the activities of a syndicate within the Department of Agriculture that stands to gain billions of pesos in “tong-pats” from the DA’s recommendation to lower tariff rates on – and to increase the minimum access volume (MAV) of – imported pork products due to the severe impact of African Swine Fever (ASF) on the swine industry.

Lacson said the anomalies amount to a triple whammy that threatens to kill our local hog industry while raising health concerns and costing the government forgone revenues.

“We should unmask who is/are behind this scheme no matter how powerful and influential he may be with this administration. I want to see even a whiff of enthusiasm from the President to order the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission and other concerned agencies to investigate, not to mention heed the call of the Senate to disapprove the DA’s recommendation to reduce the tariff and increase the volume of pork importation. Let’s see,” Lacson said.

“I have talked to Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III to have the Senate look into this, so we can get the documents we need. So far, we have received documents from the Bureau of Customs and DA. Still, we need more data to get to the bottom of the anomaly,” he added in an interview on TeleRadyo.

Related: Ping: Sebo ng ‘Tong-Pats’ sa Imported Baboy, Imbestigahan
Continue reading “Lacson Pushes Senate Probe of ‘Tong-Pats’ Racket in Hog Importation” →

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At the Confirmation Hearing of DA Sec. William Dar

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At the Commission on Appointments’ confirmation hearing for DA Sec. William Dar, Sen. Lacson asked policy questions involving problems in the agricultural sector, including possible corruption in the distribution of defective farm equipment. “Without doubt, you are more than qualified and very competent to head this Department,” he told Sec. Dar before asking his questions.

“Apparently there is corruption involved. Without pointing fingers, if some officials of DA distributed equipment to farmers … (the equipment) were defective, with prices ranging from P300,000 to P1 million per unit. My question, ilan ang pulled out? Papa-repair pa ito? Will you run after the supplier?”

“Year in and year out, we will scrutinize the budget, and we hear of equipment gone to waste. Paki-submit sa amin sa January initial report and (ang full report) probably March or April.”

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