MEDIA REPORTS ON PIMENTEL CLARIFIED

In its issue today the Inquirer reported: "Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr. said it would be better if (Sen. Panfilo) Lacson inhibited himself from any investigation.

This was completely inaccurate.

"The Inquirer got it wrong. The question was -- should Manny Villar inhibit himself as chairman of the committee of the whole? -- I said yes," Pimentel said.

"What appeared in the Inquirer is, that I said Sen. Lacson should inhibit. Never said it."

Pimentel also clarified that contrary to the statement of Sen. Joker Arroyo, he was not a member of the Senate panel that finalized the 2008 national budget in the bicameral conference committee.