Press Release
March 10, 2007

LACSON TO PALACE: DONT PLAY FAVORITES WITH IRA RELEASE

STA CRUZ, Laguna Saying the internal revenue allotment is not its private bank account to toy with, re-electionist Sen. Panfilo Lacson said Malacañang should release the internal revenue allotment (IRA) in full to all local government units regardless of their political affiliation.

Lacson said that while it is President Arroyos job to release the IRA in full to local government officials, she must not play favorites and release funds only to those allied with Malacañang .

The release of the IRA is its job and it involves taxpayers money. The money is not theirs. Is the money theirs? The money came from taxes and should rightfully be part of the local governments budgets) he said.

Yet, he said the government has had a track record of releasing full allocations only to local governments allied with it, and withholding allocations of those allied with the opposition.

Last Thursday, Mrs. Arroyo dangled the full release of IRAs before local officials to woo local support for administration senatorial candidates in the May 14 polls.

On the other hand, Lacson urged the Commission on Elections to act judiciously in deciding the dominant minority party that will get the second copy of the election returns.

He said the Genuine Opposition (GO) is the rightful dominant minority and not Mrs. Arroyos Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi).

If Kampi gets the dominant minority and Lakas the dominant majority, we have a situation of two company unions. Lets not have this situation because it will be unfair. The GO fielded a complete slate and we can only hope the Comelec will act judiciously on the matter, he said.

Also, Lacson questioned the timing of the arrest warrant on Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo, saying it came out at a time Bayan Muna was among the leading parties in a survey.

While he declined to advise Ocampo on whether to submit himself to the courts, he recalled that in May 2001 he and then Sen. Gregorio Honasan refused to turn themselves in when Malacañang declared a state of rebellion and ordered their arrest.

But he pointed out that in his and Honasans case in 2001, it was a unilateral order by Malacañang . In Ocampos case, he said the order for his arrest stemmed from a court order.

There are many legal remedies and he should exhaust them all first, he said.

Lacson and other Genuine Opposition candidates received a warm welcome in Laguna province where residents held up the convoy for hours by crowding the streets to shake hands and take photos with them.

They held a Talakayang Bayan (consultation) near the house of Rep. Benjamin Agarao Jr. in the afternoon before heading for Quezon province.

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