Press Release
June 16, 2008

LACSON: WHAT ABOUT KATAS NG KURAKOT INSTEAD OF KATAS NG VAT?

Instead of doling out subsidies sourced from the expanded "value-added" hard work of taxpayers then calling it "Katas ng VAT," the Arroyo administration should try sourcing real subsidies and dub it "Katas ng Kurakot."

On this note, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson said this would at least be better than having Mrs. Arroyo trying again to project herself as a hero and endear herself to the people, at the expense of Filipino taxpayers.

"If dole-outs must be given it is but fair that it should come out of the pockets of those who benefited from the fertilizer scam, Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard, NAIA Terminal 3 contract, IMPSA payoffs and the countless undetected or unresolved cases of corruption committed in the last seven years of her misgovernance," he said.

He said it is not fair that taxpayers' hard-earned money will be raided for another show of "love for the poor," especially when thieves and plunderers in her government had spirited away much more.

Worse, he said that unless Malacañang can explain the basis for it, the subsidy spree for education, fertilizer and electricity is "illegal and highly irregular."

"It is not fair that the coffers of the country are once again being raided by the Arroyo administration in a populist approach to endear her to the people, especially the poor, while the thieves and plunderers in her government have stolen much, much more," he said.

Earlier, Lacson questioned the administration's lack of economic strategy where it doled out subsidies in one week and imposing a "ban" on shopping due to inflation the next.

He also noted that despite a Palace "order" for public servants to conserve energy, vehicles with red (government) plates are still seen in malls and recreation centers during weekends.

"This government has been obsessed with image-building, even at the expense of Filipino taxpayers. Now that it faces a real economic problem, it lost the guts to make the hard decisions. No thanks to its inconsistent policies, we are seeing our economy in a mess," he said.

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