Senator Panfilo M. Lacson on Wednesday moved to augment the budget of the Bureau of Immigration and the National Bureau of Investigation in an effort to boost its law enforcement assets and capabilities.
Interpellating on the proposed budget of the Department of Justice, Lacson suggested sourcing the additional budget for the two agencies from the cancelled allocation for the construction of a new hall of justice for the city of Manila worth P400 million and the P33 million slash from the budget of the Office of the Secretary of Justice.
The budget cuts were made during the committee hearings on the General Appropriations Bill for 2012.
“In the President’s budget message, it was mentioned that the facilities and equipment of the NBI crime laboratories and forensic investigation will be modernized and upgraded,” Lacson, a former law enforcer himself, said in justifying his proposal.
Lacson noted that the BI and NBI budget – P461 million and P842 million, respectively - were measly compared to the budget allocations of the Philippine National Police and the AFP.
He said although the work force of the PNP and AFP are much bigger, funds for the BI and NBI should at least be at par and the additional allocation be commensurate to the number of their personnel and its official functions.
Senator Franklin Drilon, finance committee chairman and sponsor of the budget legislation, said the door is still open for specific amendments granting more funds to the BI and the NBI.
On the budget of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Lacson inquired on the legal basis used by the National Police Commission to arrogate upon themselves the function of managing funds generated from trust receipts issued by the PNP.
He said it was very unusual for the NAPOLCOM to dip its hands on the trust receipts income of the PNP.
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Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Controversial Arroyo Aide in Entourage Makes Medical Trip Abroad Fishy
A controversial aide, the lack of extradition treaties in her real preferred countries, and the silence on which doctor she will meet with are making former President Gloria Arroyo's plan to seek medical help abroad smell fishy, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson said Thursday.
Citing information from his spy in the Justice Department, Lacson questioned the inclusion of Remedios Poblador, Arroyo's erstwhile secretary for "special concerns," as one of her entourage abroad.
"Isn't it suspicious that instead of strictly family members, it seems that she's bringing with her the whole 'secretariat?'" he said.
He said that while he has no objection to Arroyo seeking the best medical help possible, these three factors cast doubt on her real motives for wanting to leave the country.
Poblador gained controversy during the Arroyo administration when she allegedly offered money to "Hello Garci" witness Vidal Doble Jr. in exchange for his refusal to testify before a congressional inquiry into the "Garci" scandal.
She also dispatched a government helicopter to bring then Balanga Bishop Socrates Villegas to "rescue" Doble from the San Carlos Seminary in Makati City at the height of the "Garci" scandal in 2005.
Doble had also testified before the Senate that Poblador was one of the personalities he saw at the quarters of then Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Efren Abu, where his wife and two children were "detained."
Lacson also questioned why the countries Arroyo intends to travel to have no extradition treaty, saying her real intended countries include Austria, Germany and Spain.
Aside from this, he said Arroyo has been mum on the identity of the doctors she plans to consult during her trip abroad.
"She could not give details of the doctors she will consult with. What makes this more fishy is that of the 14 people in her entourage, most of them are aides," he said.
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Citing information from his spy in the Justice Department, Lacson questioned the inclusion of Remedios Poblador, Arroyo's erstwhile secretary for "special concerns," as one of her entourage abroad.
"Isn't it suspicious that instead of strictly family members, it seems that she's bringing with her the whole 'secretariat?'" he said.
He said that while he has no objection to Arroyo seeking the best medical help possible, these three factors cast doubt on her real motives for wanting to leave the country.
Poblador gained controversy during the Arroyo administration when she allegedly offered money to "Hello Garci" witness Vidal Doble Jr. in exchange for his refusal to testify before a congressional inquiry into the "Garci" scandal.
She also dispatched a government helicopter to bring then Balanga Bishop Socrates Villegas to "rescue" Doble from the San Carlos Seminary in Makati City at the height of the "Garci" scandal in 2005.
Doble had also testified before the Senate that Poblador was one of the personalities he saw at the quarters of then Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Efren Abu, where his wife and two children were "detained."
Lacson also questioned why the countries Arroyo intends to travel to have no extradition treaty, saying her real intended countries include Austria, Germany and Spain.
Aside from this, he said Arroyo has been mum on the identity of the doctors she plans to consult during her trip abroad.
"She could not give details of the doctors she will consult with. What makes this more fishy is that of the 14 people in her entourage, most of them are aides," he said.
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