Go’s ‘ballistic’ response to Lagman called out

MANILA, Philippines — In an escalation of their verbal conflict, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman on Wednesday described Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go as the “poster boy” of Malasakit Centers and called out the former presidential aide’s “ballistic reaction” to criticisms that he had used the charity-funded centers for his campaign in the May 2019 polls.

Lagman rebuked Go for his “unparliamentary language and malevolent innuendoes” during the latter’s privilege speech on Tuesday, when the neophyte senator slammed the opposition congressman for casting doubt on the legality of funds used in the Malasakit facilities.

Go’s picture often appeared alongside the centers’ signages before they were ordered removed by the Commission on Elections.

“Paucity of merit and reason cannot be concealed by unparliamentary language and malevolent innuendoes,” Lagman said in a stinging response to Go’s privilege speech.

Lagman had said that there was no legal basis for the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office to provide funding for the centers.

In response, Go resorted to personal insult in his speech addressing Lagman: “There is also no legal basis to help repair your face.”