ss lnsfiht
Thursday, August 29, 2OLg
L*grrtarr: G+ has €?* legal defense
fcr Ma3asakit cestters' fundi*g
BY WENDELI VIGILIA
ALBAY Rep. Edcel Lagrnan yes-
terday hit back at Sen. Christopher
Go, saying the neophrte lawmaker
tesorted to personal attacks be-
cause he could not defend the
legality of the funding for his pet
program Malasakit centers.
"Paucitl' of merit and reason
caflnot be concealed bv unpadia-
I-AGIVIAN
May senatorial mid-term elections,
President Duterte credited Go, tris
longtime aide, for coming,rp with
the idea.
Lagman, during the House of
Representadves' Friday hearing on
the budget of the PMippine Char-
ity Sweepstakes Office, asked the
agency to "investig ate andvalidate
the effectivity of the Malasakit cen-
ters because it is more of a partisan
tool than a medical oudet."
The veteran lawyer-lawmaker
said Go's "ballistic reaction was
unprovoked because I did not even
mention his name when I asked
the PCSO during its budget brief-
ing to pro.vide the legal basis for
its funding the Malasakit centers
and for PCSO to investigate their
mentafl- Iangtage and maler-olent
innuendoes," Lagman said. "Go is
the 'poster boy' of the Malasakit
Centers. and the Commission on
Elections (Comeiec) had to order
dre Department of Health pOFl)
to remove his campaign posters
rr,'hich litrered the centers."
In a privilege speech, Go on
Tuesday slammed Lagrnan for sa1-
ing the centers are bei.ng used as a
effectiveness." ,.1,, ..,\ '
"I always talk sense and my
statements are well studied and
anchored on facts," said Lagman,
an opposition congressman.
Lagman said he has received
compiaints from Albay that there
are times when representatives of
participating agencies like the PCSQ
Deparunent of Social WeHare and
Development pSWD), *d DOH
are absentin the Malasakit centers al-
legedtybecause of lack of personnel
"Contrary to the repeated pro-
nouncements of Go thatthe Mala-
sakit centers are 'one-stop shops'
for post-confinement financial
assistance, they are mere oudets for
referra.l to the main local offices of
the participating agencies where the
beneficiaries have to just the same
queue in long lines because the
u :F{?ailr pA6t
"partTsan roo1."
Go u'ent as iar as saying that
Lagman's face is "bevond tepak"
even b1' the \.{alasakit centers which
is supposed to be a one-stop shop
inside hospitais in u'hich patients
can get medical assistance from dif-
ferent goverrunent agencies.
During the campaign for the
See IAGMAN ) Page.B3
representatives in the centd'is do not
have the authority nor discretion to
make assessments either for pataal
or full payment of hospital bili bal-
ances," Lagman said.
Lagman said Go's aliegations'
against him, particulady that he is
allegedly "anti-poor," are "com-
pletely unfounded and contrived."
"f 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 marginahzed," he said.
Lagman said he has never re-
quired indigentpatients to go to his
house to get referrals for financial
assistance "because ever since, they
invariably approach my staff in *y
congressional and district offi ces."