Lacson releases copy of Castro’s alleged ‘fictional letter’

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Panfilo Lacson has released a copy of a letter allegedly from Capiz 2nd Rep. Fredenil Castro in which the latter appeared to have sought for financial assistance in Dumalag town of Capiz.

The 60-page document, uploaded in Lacson’s official website, is seen to belie the representative’s claim that the letter’s existence was “fictional.”

“In a letter dated Sept. 19, 2019, Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro lobbied with Sen. Lacson for financial assistance to construct a municipal building for Dumalag town, costing P258 million,” a statement from Lacson’s camp said.

“The stamp indicating the time and date it was received at Sen. Lacson’s office belies Castro’s claim that the lobbying was ‘fictional’,” it added.

The letter, received by Lacson’s office last September 23 at 2:13 p.m., was asking for Lacson’s “attention and consideration” for Dumalag’s new municipal hall project which was seen to cost around P258 million.

Castro reasoned out in the supposed letter that Dumalag, being a 4th-class municipality, cannot afford to construct a new municipal hall using its own resources.

The old municipal hall, along with other major establishments, was affected by a road-widening project that includes the Iloilo-Capiz road.

“It is in this context that I am requesting for financial assistance for the construction of a new municipal building that would integrate/ house all the other government stations/ offices which are affected by the road widening projects,” Castro’s alleged letter said.

Castro had asked Lacson to apologize to the House of Representatives for damaging its reputation after the senator revealed a plan to give each of the 22 deputy speakers an allocation worth P1.5 billion in the proposed 2020 budget.

However, Lacson said that this plan — which he essentially called ‘pork’ — was halted even before he told media about it.

READ: Lacson bares plan to give House deputies P1.5B each

Answering the demand to apologize, Lacson accused Castro of actually trying to convince him to lobby a project in his district.  The two eventually did not get to meet, but Castro refused to comment on the issue as it was merely a “fictitious” allegation./ac

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