PCOO budget can’t be held ‘hostage’ for Badoy’s resignation – Lacson
MANILA, Philippines — The entire budget of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) could not be held “hostage” for the resignation of an official, Senator Panfilo Lacson said Friday.
“We cannot sacrifice the whole budget for the retention or resignation of a government official assigned to PCOO,” Lacson said in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel when sought for a comment on the issue.
“Hindi naman pwede ma-hostage ang buong budget,” he added.
On Wednesday, House deliberations on the proposed PCOO budget were suspended “until further notice” as lawmakers denounced the red-tagging activities of PCOO Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy.
The Makabayan bloc, whose members were tagged by Badoy as “high-ranking officials of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF),” also called for the PCOO official’s resignation.
But stepping down from a position, Lacson said, “is always a personal decision.”
Article continues after this advertisement“It is up to the person being asked to resign, to resign. If he/she doesn’t want to resign that’s his/her personal decision,” the senator said.
Article continues after this advertisement“It’s up to [the House of Representatives] if they will support the move of the Makabayan bloc in the House or not,” he added.
She won’t resign
Badoy earlier rejected calls for her to step down, saying that she should not be the one to leave office because she had never deceived Filipinos.
“As for the Makabayan Bloc Reps calling for my resignation — I’d be sorely disappointed in myself and see it as inadequacy in doing my job if they didn’t ask for anything less,” she said in a Facebook post.
“Also, I’m not the one who has to resign because I have not deceived the Filipino people nor have I done anything to hurt them. I come to the table with clean hands and as pure a heart as I can muster,” she added.
