Lagman hits back Malasakit Center ‘poster boy’ Go: 'I have always been a pro-poor legislator...'


Compiled photo from Philippine Star (ctto)



Albay Representative Edcel Lagman on Wednesday lambasted Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go's “unparliamentary language and malevolent innuendoes” during his privilege speech in which the newbie senator made a personal attack on the premiered congressman

In his speech, Go said, "Wala rin pong legal basis ang pagtulong ng pag-repair sa inyong mukha. At paprangkahin ko na rin po kayo, your image is beyond repair. Hindi ikakaayos ng mukha 'nyo ang pagkontra ninyo sa interes ng mga Pilipino."



Sen. Go went ballistic as he verbally attacked the lawmaker from Albay, as the latter criticizes  that he had used the charity-funded centers for his campaign in the May 2019 polls.

“Neophyte Senator Bong Go, instead of defining his legislative agenda, which is usually the subject of a maiden privilege speech, squandered his chance of citing the causes he will promote and defend during his term by personally attacking me for being critical of the Malasakit Centers even as he refused to be interpellated,” Lagman said.

Cong. Lagman said Go's "ballistic reaction" was "unprovoked" as he did not even mention the senator's name when he asked the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) during its budget briefing "to provide the legal basis for its funding the Malasakit Centers and for PCSO to investigate their effectiveness."



“Paucity of merit and reason cannot be concealed by unparliamentary language and malevolent innuendoes,” said Lagman.

Lagman took offense at Go's claims that he is anti-poor and "mema" (short for may masabi lang), just because the Albay congressman wanted clarity on the Malasakit Centers, which he believed was being used as a "partisan tool."

“Go is the ‘poster boy’ of the Malasakit Centers, and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) had to order the Department of Health (DOH) to remove his campaign posters which littered the centers,” Lagman added.



Responding to Go’s statements saying he was anti-poor, Lagman said: “The allegations against me by Go are completely unfounded and contrived... I always talk sense and my statements are well studied and anchored on facts." 

“I have always been a pro-poor legislator long before the advent of the Malasakit Centers and my legislative performance and accomplishments speak of my advocacies for the disadvantaged and marginalized,” Lagman said.

“I have never required indigent patients to go to my house to get referrals for financial assistance because ever since they invariably approach my staff in my congressional and district offices,” he said.


The Malasakit Centers are a pet project of Bong Go, and he is also the longtime aide of President Rodrigo Duterte before he ran and won for senator in the May polls.

The centers are part of the Individual Medical Assistance Program charity program which received P8.68 billion in 2018 from PCSO’s net charity fund.

During the campaign period in the last 2019 Mid term election, Malasakit Centers displayed Go's large picture, whenever a new center was opened across the country.

Comelec later ordered the Department of Health (DOH) to remove these posters after citizens complained that government funds were being used to promote Go’s candidacy.



Source: Politiko

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1 Comments

  1. Alejano lost the election but the show must go on.
    You should get used to this rantings...

    ReplyDelete