Lacson hits Roque for saying pandemic being used for political gains

Sen. Panfilo Lacson. Senate PRIB file photo

MANILA, Philippines — Being critical is not tantamount to politicking, Senator Panfilo Lacson said after Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque accused those criticizing the administration’s pandemic response of using the health crisis for political gains.

“Really? Harry, are you serious? Just because I criticize, pamumulitika na? Wala akong tarpaulins. Pag nagbibigay ako ng ayuda sa mga nasalanta ng bagyo at iba pang nangangailangan, tulong lang talaga kaya walang media coverage,” Lacson tweeted Monday.

(Really? Harry, are you serious? Just because I criticize, it equates to politicking? I have no tarpaulins. When I extend assistance to typhoon victims and those who are in need, I don’t request for media coverage.)

“I can enumerate to you privately if you want proof,” he added.

The senator was responding to the remarks of the Palace official, who lamented that politicking seemed to have intensified with the approach of the 2022 polls and how some politicians were even using pandemic issues against the Duterte administration.

“If those who want to win have any conscience left, they should help by giving solutions to this pandemic instead of taking advantage of it for their selfish political gains,” Roque said during President Rodrigo Duterte’s weekly briefing aired Monday night.

The President agreed with his spokesperson, calling it “a classic case of  ‘if you want to appear white, you paint the other guy black.’”

Roque did not mention any names, though he said this after Duterte addressed the criticisms of some senators who asked where the billions of dollars borrowed for vaccine procurement had gone.

Among them is Lacson, who previously questioned why the government-procured COVID-19 vaccines have yet to arrive in the country.