LACSON-SOTTO SUPPORTERS FROM LAMUT, IFUGAO

LACSON-SOTTO SUPPORTERS FROM LAMUT, IFUGAO

 

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The Kind of Leader Our Country Needs Now

 The Kind of Leader Our Country Needs Now

September 30, 2021 - Running for President of this country should not be aimed against any particular person. Rather, it must purely depend on our honest desire to uplift the lives of our countrymen who have suffered more than enough from incompetence and shameless corruption, mostly caused by the callous machinations of those in power whose conscience has given way to their greed.

If it hasn’t sunk in our consciousness yet, we are at war with the Covid-19 pandemic and its multiple allied forces:

* poverty and hunger due to massive loss of jobs and closure of less competitive business establishments;

* humongous national debt and alarming budget deficit;

* stiff competition with our Asian neighbors for foreign investments and tourism even after the Covid-19 virus leaves us

On another front, we are confronted by continued “aggressive incursions” into our territorial waters in the West Philippine Sea, thus endangering our sovereign and territorial rights over our legitimate ancestral possessions.

We cannot anymore afford a “more of the same” brand of leadership during this crucial time in our nation’s history. We should know by now that it doesn’t work.

We need a leader, not a pretender. We need a good leadership track record, not apprenticeship; we need tested honesty and integrity in public service, not lip service and double-speak.

We need a leader who can decisively push the button after careful discernment and consultations with experts based on science and data-driven facts, not a trial-and-error experiment because the lives and well-being of our people are at stake - but not to the point of being paralyzed by over-analysis.

We need a leader who will use the national budget as a tool for meaningful social services especially in the health, education and livelihood sectors as well as the development of the entire country - particularly the remotest local government units - not to keep the loyalty of political allies or make political enemies submit themselves due to pressure and intimidation.

This is the kind of leadership that we need. Filipinos deserve no less.

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SEN PING LACSON FOR 2022

SEN PING LACSON FOR 2022

    Sen.Lacson run in 2001 as a senator and placed 10th with 10.5M votes. In 2004 presidential election he placed 3rd and lost with 3.5M votes. As a neophyte and a struggling politician then he lacks everything to stage a nationwide campaign. No political party, no VP, no senatorial line-up, limited financially and logistically and he learned the bitter lesson from that experience. 17 years later he will try once again but this time ready to rumble since he has everything now with a combined forces of 2 political parties Reporma and a powerhouse NPC, a winnable VP and with almost complete senatorial line up. He has also a PR firms with a tried and tested political strategist though the campaign battle now is more on online platforms and no longer in the street. 😎

    His 2007 senatorial run placed him 3rd overall with 15.5M votes and in 2016 at 4th overall with almost 17M votes considering that he was Independent. A testament of his winnability and being a dark horse despite of political persecutions, demolition jobs and character assassination's thrown against him he still alive, kicking and getting better and stronger! Bakit ko sinasabi ang mga bagay na ito? Those who were born in 2004 are the 1st time voters next year and those who voted him in 2004 like me who has a family of 6 can influence their sons or daughters to vote him. Just educate and tell them what leadership the good senator can bring to this country once elected. Iba ang kulturang pinoy follow the leader!😊

    As what I have said all the signs favors him to win next year and I considered Sen. Ping as the lone blue chip candidate among the rest. Let us all educate the 1st time voters to vote wisely for the sake of our pandemic-stricken country and not for one's popularity! #Ping2022 #LacsonSottoFor2022 #SupportPingLacson #TitoSenforVicePresident #LacsonForPresident #LacsonSotto #SupportLacsonSottoFor2022

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Pulse Asia: Sara Duterte top pick for president, Sotto leads VP polls

Pulse Asia: Sara Duterte top pick for president, Sotto leads VP polls

MANILA, Philippines — Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio remained the top pick for president, while Senate President Vicente Sotto III emerged as the leading bet for vice president in the 2022 national elections, Pulse Asia’s survey released Wednesday showed.

According to Pulse Asia, Duterte-Carpio is the most preferred candidate for president with 20 percent of Filipino adults expressing support for her during the survey period from September 6 to September 11, 2021.

Duterte-Carpio maintained her lead in the presidential race despite a decrease in her rating which was at 28 percent in the Pulse Asia’s survey conducted in June.

She has announced she will not vie for the presidency.

The Davao City mayor was followed by former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos with 15 percent, Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso with 13 percent, and Senator Manny Pacquiao with 12 percent.

Senator Grace Poe got 9 percent, Vice President Leni Robredo got 8 percent, and Senator Panfilo Lacson had 6 percent.

For the potential vice president, Sotto became the top choice with 25 percent of Filipinos surveyed expressing support for his candidacy.

President Rodrigo Duterte trailed behind Sotto with 14 percent, followed by Moreno and Marcos with 12 percent each, and Pacquiao and Senator Christopher “Bong” Go with 7 percent each.

Duterte dropped to second place from the previous Pulse Asia survey results where he was the leading vice presidential candidate with 18 percent rating. Sotto was only third in the previous survey with a rating of 10 percent.

Pulse Asia President Ronald Holmes said the latest release was part of their regular survey.

The nationwide survey was based on face-to-face interviews of 2,400 adult Filipinos or those aged 18 and above. It also used a ± 2% error margin at the 95% confidence level.

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On the Latest Pulse Asia Survey

  On the Latest Pulse Asia Survey

September 29, 2021

September 29, 2021 - We’re doing alright. We have our own tracking. We are not even thinking of recalibrating our strategy.

It goes without saying that I am not questioning the results of the Pulse Asia survey even as I congratulate Senate President Tito Sotto, my running mate, for topping the latest vice-presidential survey.

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Lacson Pushes More Win-Win Measures to Encourage 'Mandatory' Vaccination

Lacson Pushes More Win-Win Measures to Encourage 'Mandatory' Vaccination

September 29, 2021

September 29, 2021 - Filipinos who insist on not getting vaccinated may change their minds with more encouragement from the government and the private sector - such as allowing only fully vaccinated people to dine, shop or patronize establishments indoors.

Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson made the call for more of such win-win measures Wednesday even as he reiterated that the government should ensure that vaccines are available and accessible to all.

"Instead of forcing vaccines on people, why not make them force themselves to get inoculated? A policy of allowing only fully vaccinated customers to eat indoors, while limiting the unvaccinated to Al Fresco dining is an example. But first, make vaccines available to all," he said on his Twitter account.

He noted this policy, which some private establishments have started implementing, can be complemented with the proper information and education campaigns to make people realize the importance of getting vaccinated.

Lacson said this win-win approach would help both public health and the economy, while respecting the individual rights of citizens to their bodies, and the rights of other citizens to be protected from getting infected.

"We're facing a pandemic. How can we get out of the pandemic without taking the needed preventive measures?" he added.

On the other hand, Lacson maintained authorities will need to do a much better job in rolling out vaccines especially in far-flung areas, with the rollout there being as low as 16 percent.

Lacson said he and Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III learned of this when they visited Leyte last weekend and learned of the vaccine rollout situation there.

"We have been informed that only 16 percent of the population there had been vaccinated. In Metro Manila, officials claim the rollout is nearing 100 percent. We should also mind people in the countryside. They are entitled as much as we are but the rollout in the provinces and far-flung areas needs to improve," he said in an interview on ANC on Tuesday.

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Ogie Diaz paniwalang ‘di kawatan si Lacson

 Ogie Diaz paniwalang ‘di kawatan si Lacson

KOMEDYANTE man naturingan pero sa usapin tungkol sa bayan natin ay seryoso naman si Ogie Diaz.

Kamakailan lang ay may nasabi si Ogie hinggil sa katangian ni Sen. Ping Lacson na kakandidatong presidente na nagustuhan niya.

Maliban sa pagiging komedyante at talent manager, ratsada rin ngayong pandemic si Ogie bilang vlogger at content creator.

May mga Youtube channel siya na ang isa ay para sa interbyu ng mga personalidad, at ang isa ay showbiz roundup.

Panalo si Ogie sa rami ng subscribers sa dalawang channel niya maliban pa sa kanyang mga socmed account partikular saTwitter na mas vocal si Ogie sa paghahayag niya ng political views.

Sa isang vlog niya sa showbiz, nabanggit niya ang pagtatanggol ni Iwa Moto sa biyenang si Sen. Ping na tuloy na sa pagtakbong pangulo sa 2022 katambal si Senate President Tito Sotto na siya niyang bise-presidente.

Sey nga ni Ogie, dapat lang anya na idepensa ni Iwa si Lacson dahil biyenan niya ito. Inayunan din ni Ogie ang sinabi ni Iwa na hindi kawatan ang senador.

Pahayag ni Ogie sa kasama niya sa vlog: “Totoo ‘to, hindi siya [Ping] magnanakaw. Kasi alam mo bang hindi tumatanggap si Senador Ping ng pork barrel bilang senador…Magkano rin ‘yon, mga P200 million isang taon.”

“Kahit naman ako, gusto ko rin yung integridad ni Senator Ping. Kaya nga naloloka ako kung bakit ‘di niya tinatanggap yung pork barrel,” dagdag nito.

Ang pork barrel o priority assitance development fund ay pondo para sa mga kongresista at senador. Pero sapul nang maging mambabatas, hindi tinanggap ni Ping ang kanyang pork barrel funds dahil pinag-uugatan anya ito ng katiwalian.

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On President Duterte's Claims on the New Senate Building

On President Duterte's Claims on the New Senate Building

September 28, 2021

President Duterte has been grossly misinformed, hence he barked up the wrong tree. He should have asked his own Department of Public Works and Highways, being the procuring and implementing agency of the project.

It was the DPWH that prepared the Program Of Works, the Terms of Reference and all bid documents, conducted the bidding, awarded, prepared the contract, signed the contract, and issued the notice to proceed, including the cost of the building. The Senate representative was only an observer during the bidding process.

In fact, after the notice of award was issued, I took time to warn the contractor in the presence of some DPWH officials against giving SOP’s to anyone and in whatever form, particularly on the construction of the new Senate building.

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Partido Reporma statement:Partido Reporma statement: From Fake News to Rigged Mobile 'Text Survey': Lacson Camp Scores Another Dirty Trick

 From Fake News to Rigged Mobile 'Text Survey': Lacson Camp Scores Another Dirty Trick

September 28, 2021 - From Partido Reporma Spokesperson Ashley Acedillo: There is something really fishy when your campaign team and even supporters receive an SMS (or mobile text) purportedly doing a survey of presidential candidates for May 2022, and then the same SMS survey informs you that your chosen candidate is wrong or is considered an erroneous response.

Despite being the first to formally announce his candidacy for President, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson was omitted from a supposed "automated survey" among presidentiables? Partido Reporma spokesperson Ashley Acedillo said the "survey" appears to be part of a mind-conditioning ploy to make people think Lacson is not in the running. "The survey would ask respondents to choose from a field of seven names, but excluding Ping Lacson.”

“If the respondent chose Lacson, he or she would get an error message claiming that the reply is invalid," Acedillo said. "While we may not know who 'commissioned' this supposed survey until the organizers come out with the result, the effect is on the respondents, who will be conditioned to think that Sen. Lacson is not running," he added.

“While I myself am familiar with most survey methodologies, both face to face and online/automated - which means that those who commission it actually have a choice of what questions to field and which choices/answers to provide - our campaign team cannot rule out malice in this particular case since the omission is both very glaring and very suspicious.”

Last Sept. 8, Lacson and running mate Senate President Vicente "Tito" C. Sotto III declared their intention to run for President and Vice President respectively in May 2022, and for the record, being the first to do so.

Earlier, Acedillo scored the fake news circulating on social media that Lacson had withdrawn or is withdrawing from the presidential race, saying this was a sign of desperation from rivals.

“If this latest caper is designed to derail us by dissuading people from supporting Ping Lacson for the presidency, then it is the people who commissioned the survey who are fooling themselves with the erroneous data and results they will obtain. So go ahead, knock yourselves out," he said.

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Ogie Diaz bilib kay Ping Lacson

Ogie Diaz bilib kay Ping Lacson

Kahit komedyante si si Ogie Diaz, seryoso siya pagdating sa usapin ng kalagayan ng bansa. Kamakailan nga, may nabanggit siya sa isa niyang vlog tungkol sa katangian na “gusto” niya kay Senador Ping Lacson, na tatakbong pangulo sa 2022.

    Bukod sa pagiging talent manager at komedyante, umaariba rin ngayong pandemic si Ogie bilang vlogger o content creator. Meron siyang mga YouTube channel, na ang isa ay for interview ng mga personalidad, at ang isa ay showbiz roundup naman.

    Winner sa dami ng mga subscriber ang dalawang channel ni Ogie. Ang kanyang mga social media account tulad ng Twitter, Facebook ay tinututukan din dahil sa pagiging vocal ni Ogie sa paghahayag ng kanyang political views.

    Pero sa isang vlog niya tungkol sa showbiz, natalakay niya ang pagdepensa ni Iwa Moto sa biyenan nitong si Sen. Ping, katambal si Senate President Tito Sotto.

    Ayon kay Ogie, natural lang na ipagtanggol ni Iwa si Ping dahil biyenan at kilala niya ito. At nang basahin ni Ogie ang sinabi ni Iwa na hindi magnanakaw ang senador, umayon nga si Ogie.

    Sabi ni Ogie sa kasama niya sa vlog: “Totoo ‘to, hindi siya [Ping] magnanakaw. Kasi alam mo bang hindi tumatanggap si Senador Ping ng pork barrel bilang senador…Magkano rin ‘yon, mga P200 million isang taon.”

    Dagdag pa ni Ogie, “Kahit naman ako, gusto ko rin yung integridad ni Senator Ping. Kaya nga naloloka ako kung bakit ‘di niya tinatanggap yung pork barrel.”

    Ang pork barrel o priority assistance development fund ay pondo para sa mga kongresista at senador. Pero sapul nang maging mambabatas, hindi tinanggap ni Ping ang kaniyang pork barrel funds dahil pinag-uugatan ito ng katiwalian.

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SEN PING LACSON ON HEADSTART ANC

SEN PING LACSON ON HEADSTART ANC

WITH KAREN DAVILA

 

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Lacson vows to push more equitable national funding for LGU’s

  Lacson vows to push more equitable national funding for LGU’s

Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson has renewed his push for local government units (LGUs) to get a more equitable share of the national budget so they can fund their own development programs.

Lacson, who has launched his presidential bid in the upcoming May 2022 elections, made the pitch during his visit to Davao del Norte, where he and Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III received a warm welcome from officials of Partido Reporma, headed by former House Speaker and Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez, the party president.

Over the weekend, Lacson and Sotto visited Davao del Norte as incumbent officials took their oaths as members of Partido Reporma. Lacson currently chairs Partido Reporma, while Sotto, his vice presidential bet, chairs the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC).

“There is a big disconnect between the needs and priorities of the LGUs and the national budget,” Lacson said during a meeting with local officials at the provincial capitol.

“Because of this disconnect, billions of pesos in unused and misused appropriations in the national budget is wasted due to the lack of planning and proper consultations,” he further said.

Lacson pointed out he has long pushed for the passage into law of Senate Bill No. 23 or the Budget Reform Advocacy for Village Empowerment (BRAVE), to make sure LGUs get enough funds for their development projects.

The senator assured Davao del Norte—and all other LGUs in the country—can benefit from the passage of the BRAVE bill.

According to Lacson, the bill seeks to ensure that local governments will get funding for development projects at the barangay, municipality, city, and provincial levels.

In pushing for the bill, the lawmaker noted that a big percentage of the national budget is unused appropriations, year-in, year-out.

“By giving LGUs the necessary wherewithal to be active participants in the development of our country, we will end the culture of mendicancy and political patronage that viciously thrive in our system,” Lacson said in his bill.“Ultimately this will help us realize the elusive inclusive growth that we all aspire for as a nation,” he stressed.

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Ping Lacson: Buwagin ang mga sindikato sa DOH

 Ping Lacson: Buwagin ang mga sindikato sa DOH

Dahil lang sa overpriced ambulance units, ₱841 Million na agad ang pwedeng mawala sa gobyerno. Tsk! Sindikato na 'to!

👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇

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Ayoko Na Sa'Yo

 Ayoko Na Sa'Yo

Please Watch...!!!

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THE TRUTH BEHIND SENATOR PING LACSON

 

THE TRUTH BEHIND SEN PING LACSON

☝☝☝Panoorin at pakinggan ang katotohanan sa mga kontrobersyal na isyu ni Sen. Ping Lacson noon.

    Ang paratang kay Sen. Ping Lacson sa Koratong Baleleng Case ay na-dismiss dahil sa absence of probable cause. Ang Dacer–Corbito Case naman ay na-dismiss noong February 3, 2011 dahil ayon sa Court of Appeals, "Mancao is not a credible and trustworthy witness," at siya ay naging fugitive.

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NATION Reporma spox denies Lacson’s withdrawal of candidacy in 2022 polls

  NATION  Reporma spox denies Lacson’s withdrawal of candidacy in 2022 polls

    

    MANILA, Philippines — Partido Reporma spokesperson Ashley Acedillo on Sunday warned of a misinformation campaign alleging that Senator Panfilo Lacson “has or is withdrawing his candidacy” for president in the 2022 polls.

    “Nothing could be further from the truth. On the contrary, the Lacson-Sotto tandem has been full speed ahead and has only been growing from strength to strength,” Acedillo said in a statement.

    “As the filing of candidacies nears, so is the desperation of the ill-prepared, tentative, or the unwilling candidates. And this latest misinformation campaign just proves that,” he added.

    Lacson, who sits as the chairman of Partido Reporma, and his running mate Senate President Vicente Sotto III have been laying the groundwork since they launched their candidacies on September 8, Acedillo said.

    He claimed that they are the “most prepared and the most capable” to lead the country among those running for president and vice president.

    Acedillo likewise said that the tandem and their respective parties “have already mobilized the combined strength of their alliance to secure their bases of support,” noting that the latest Partido Reporma event in Davao del Norte had over 200 party members taking their oaths of membership and showed support to Lacson and Sotto.

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Lacson Spokesperson Warns Of Fake News

 Lacson Spokesperson Warns Of Fake News

September 26, 2021

[Refer to Ashley Acedillo, Partido Reporma Spokesperson]

    There is an ongoing misinformation campaign claiming allegedly that Senator Panfilo Lacson has or is withdrawing his candidacy for President in the May 2022 elections.

    Nothing could be further from the truth.

    On the contrary, the Lacson-Sotto tandem has been full speed ahead and has only been growing from strength to strength.

    After launching their respective candidacies for President and Vice President on September 8, 2021, both putative candidates have been laying the groundwork and have demonstrated, this early, that among those running for the top two highest elected positions of the land, they are the most prepared and the most capable to lead this country.

    The latest Partido Reporma event in Tagum City, Davao del Norte where Party Chairman Ping Lacson and his running mate, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III were present, saw more than two hundred party members taking their oaths of membership and expressing their solid support to the tandem in behalf of the entire province.

    While the others are still deciding whether or not to run, or hurriedly negotiating for their runningmates, or worse, still, looking for a party to run under, Senators Lacson and Sotto and their respective parties have already mobilized the combined strength of their alliance to secure their bases of support.

    As the filing of candidacies nears, so is the desperation of the ill-prepared, tentative, or the unwilling candidates. And this latest misinformation campaign just proves that.

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Partido Reporma sa Davao del Norte kasama ang ating Chairman na si Senator Ping Lacson!

Partido Reporma sa Davao del Norte

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LACSON-SOTTO TANDEM SUPPORTERS FROM BRGY LIBJO, BATANGAS CITY

LACSON-SOTTO TANDEM SUPPORTERS

FROM BRGY LIBJO, BATANGAS CITY

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WITH BATANGAS CITY, MARINDUQUE & PARAÑAQUE LEADERS FULLY SUPPORT LACSON-SOTTO TANDEM

WITH BATANGAS CITY, MARINDUQUE & PARAÑAQUE LEADERS FULLY SUPPORT LACSON-SOTTO TANDEM

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SUPPORTERS FROM TAYABAS, QUEZON FULLY SUPPORT LACSON-SOTTO TANDEM

SUPPORTERS FROM TAYABAS, QUEZON

FULLY SUPPORT LACSON-SOTTO TANDEM

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Lacson: Pharmally Bagged 26.39% of P42B Contracts with PS-DBM

Lacson: Pharmally Bagged 26.39% of P42B Contracts with PS-DBM

September 24, 2021

September 24, 2021 - Pharmally Pharmaceuticals Corp. bagged more than one-fourth of some P42 billion in contracts with the Department of Budget Procurement Service (PS-DBM) for medical supplies to address the COVID-19 pandemic, Sen. Panfilo M . Lacson bared Friday.

Lacson cited DBM documents indicating that of 45 suppliers, Pharmally grabbed 26.39 percent of the P42 billion transferred by the Department of Health to the PS-DBM.

"Out of 44 other suppliers, Pharmally ang No. 1, and you bagged 26.39% of the P42 billion transferred by DOH to the PS-DBM even with a P625,000 initial capitalization," Lacson told Pharmally Director Linconn Ong at the Senate hearing on the matter.

"We’d like to find out from PS-DBM. Ito ba ang kultura sa PS-DBM, ang bulk more than 26% of contracts napunta sa Pharmally? Or this is unusual? Or this is very special (Is this the culture in PS-DBM to award the bulk of contracts to Pharmally? Is this unusual or is this very special)?" he added.

Lacson also questioned why officials of Pharmally would buy expensive luxury vehicles after bagging the first contract.

Other businessmen would have reinvested their money into their business if they made a huge profit, instead of going on a buying spree, he added.

Earlier, Lacson extracted a confession from Pharmally employee Krizle Mago after she admitted she acted on instructions from higher management in having a warehouseman remove the "Expired" labels dated 2020 from face masks, and replace them with 2021 as the new expiry date.

Mago also admitted upon further questioning from Lacson that she acted on orders from Pharmally treasurer Mohit Dargani.

"Who ordered you to give the instruction to the warehouseman to remove the label? I suppose it was not on your own initiative you gave that instruction?" Lacson told Mago, who replied she received the instructions from Dargani.

Mago also admitted she was instructed by higher management to exchange emails with the Department of Budget and Management Procurement Service (PS-DBM) even after Pharmally already delivered overpriced surgical masks "ordered" by the PS-DBM.

"Why did you respond to the PS-DBM's email when the day before, you already delivered what was asked of your company? What was the purpose of sending the response?" Lacson asked.

Lacson also questioned Tigerphil Marketing Corp., from where Pharmally sourced its face masks, how it netted P21.51 million in sales to Pharmally in 2020 when its audited financial statement for 2020 showed it only declared an income of P3.479 million.

Tigerphil president Albert Sy admitted they have paid P553,886.88 in amended tax returns today - well after the Senate started its hearings.

"If the Blue Ribbon Committee did not conduct the hearing, would you pay the amended tax returns?" Lacson remarked, adding Tigerphil's payment showed the Senate hearings did lead to positive results.

"Maski papano, nagbayad. So hindi totoong walang nangyayari sa pagdinig nating ito (Tigerphil paid after all, so it's not true that nothing comes out of the Senate hearings)," he added.

Meanwhile, Lacson also questioned how Tigerphil managed to contact Green Trends, from which it sourced its face masks, when Green Trends has a fictitious address.

Lacson also threatened to have Pharmally Director Linconn Ong transferred to the Pasay City Jail after Ong remained evasive in his answers.

He noted Ong had claimed they sold at a high price because of a scarcity of supply, yet Pharmally managed to deliver medical supplies to the PS-DBM in under three hours.

"Pag patuloy nagsisinungaling si Mr. Ong, the committee might decide to transfer him to Pasay City Jail instead of enjoying life in the Senate," he said.

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Lacson to DOH Chief: Uproot 'Syndicate' Behind P841M Ambulance Overprice

Lacson to DOH Chief: Uproot 'Syndicate' Behind P841M Ambulance Overprice

September 24, 2021

September 24, 2021 - The Philippine government easily lost some P841 million in the purchase of ambulances that were found overpriced by P1 million each, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson said Friday.

Lacson said such overpricing may involve a deeply rooted "syndicate" in the Department of Health, even as he challenged DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III to uproot this syndicate.

Such a syndicate also appears to be behind the recurring overstocking of expired and near-expiry medicines amounting to P2.736 billion, including P2.2 billion in 2019 alone.

"Entrenched ang sindikato kasi nariyan ang overpricing. Yan gusto namin matingnan ninyo nang maayos para ma-uproot ang sindikato sa loob ng department. Pre-pandemic at during the pandemic, parang hindi nagbabago ang pagbili ng expired medicines at overpricing (It seems this syndicate involved in overpricing is entrenched in the DOH. We need you to look into this to uproot this syndicate, which has been operating pre-pandemic and during the pandemic)," he said at the Senate hearing on the purchase of overpriced medical supplies to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Sana gawan ninyo ng paraan para ma-uproot, ma-expose at mahinto ang sindikato sa DOH (We are asking you to take proper action to uproot, expose and stop this syndicate)," he added.

For his part, Duque replied, "Yes Sir, sisiguraduhin kong matutukan ito (Yes Sir, I'll make sure to look into this)."

Upon Lacson's questioning, Duque said the DOH procured and distributed 841 ambulances under the Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP) for 2019 and 2020.

Lacson said records showed each ambulance procured by the DOH cost some P2.5 million including automated external defibrillators (AEDs), though some of the ambulances the DOH distributed to the CALABARZON area were without the AEDs.

But one local government unit that planned to procure an ambulance with similar specifications found that it cost only P1.5 million.

Lacson said ambulances procured by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office cost P1.585 million, while those procured by the private sector cost P1.650 million.

"Bakit ang layo ng diprensya ng presyo kung DOH bumibili compared sa ibang entities (Why is there a big difference when it comes to the DOH)?" he asked.

"Isa lang ang ma-conclude namin dito. Pag may overpricing di ba may kumikita (We can arrive at only one conclusion. If there is overpricing, is it not true that someone is making a profit)?" he added.

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