Statement of Sen. Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan on Dean Chel Diokno's expose of NBI going after ordinary citizens complaining vs slow COVID response
We will question that in the Joint Oversight Committee: Pangilinan

'Unang-una, bawal yan sa batas mismo. Section 7 of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act states that "Nothing herein shall be construed as an impairment, restriction, or modification of the provisions of the Constitution."

Sa Saligang Batas, sinisiguro ang kalayaang maghayag ng saloobin. Article 3, Section 4 states that "No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances."

Mali ang pigilan ang mga taong hanapin ang serbisyong ipinangako ng gobyerno. Mali ang parusahan ang mga taong naniningil ng pondong galing sa buwis nila at inalaan para sa kanila. Mali na dahas o banta ng kaso ang isusukli sa kanilang karapatan at tungkuling papanagutin ang gobyerno.

Yang expose ni Dean Diokno ay itatanong natin sa Joint Oversight Committee na bubuuhin ayon din sa batas na nasabi.

When millions of poor and low-income Filipinos have been struggling to survive in the past two weeks under quarantine, what they expect from the government are actions with sense of urgency and precision.

The DSWD has been tasked to roll out the Emergency Subsidy Program that will distribute monthly emergency subsidies of P5,000 to P8,000 for at least two months to 18 million households.

Nasaan na ito? Dapat, ngayon, sa ikatlong linggo ng quarantine, meron nang credible master-list of beneficiaries na na-vet na ng local government units. Napakahalaga ng hakbang na ito. Hindi pwedeng gutumin ang mga tao.

From reports we have gathered, the DSWD will also issue social amelioration cards which will be barcoded for security. Just how long will it take the department to finish this? In yesterday's news, thousands of residents in Parañaque were reportedly duped into buying the fake cards.

Habang tumatagal ang proseso, lalong maaaring mahawa sa virus ang mas maraming tao, na siya namang gusto ng mga mapagsamantala.

We also want to know how the cash distribution will be carried out. Gathering the people in a hall may not be a good idea since physical distancing will be hard to observe. A house-to-house distribution is an option, but the department and LGUs should have the ready manpower equipped with PPEs and knowledge of protocols to do this.

Kalusugan, kabuhayan, at mismong buhay na ng mga tao ang nakataya. Sagutin ang tanong at hinaing ng taong-bayan.