Senator Mar Roxas last week reminded Legacy owner Celso de los Angeles that he should look into the mirror before he pins the blame on others for the plight of hundreds of Legacy’s depositors and planholders.
"Is he feeling lucky? His rackets caused the people billions – P14 billion released by PDIC to duped depositors, more than P18 billion milked out of pre-need planholders, and billions more unaccounted for from his investors," he said.
"He’s living high on the fruits of his deception of the people. Nobody else is to blame but him," he stressed.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade and Commerce which is investigating the demise of pre-need plans and of the Legacy group, vowed to run after all the assets of de los Angeles to compensate Legacy’s victims.
Roxas called on pre-need plan holders who need legal assistance to contact his hotline at 0919-MAROXAS (6276927). Roxas has convened a pool of lawyers ready to service the hundreds of plan holders victimized.
"There will be accountability, there will be justice," Roxas stressed.
Roxas: Corruption of GMA Gov’t. Shaming Filipinos Fil Expats Back Senate Inquiry Into WB Findings
Filipinos living in the United States and other parts of the world have become unwilling victims of the Arroyo administration’s corrupt reputation, Senator Mar Roxas last week said.
Roxas made the statement after getting a letter from a Filipino expatriate now living in Winnipeg, Canada, who said Filipinos in his community there back the ongoing Senate inquiry into the findings of corrupt practices by the World Bank (WB) involving government infrastructure projects.
"Filipinos now living abroad are being insulted because of the brazen corruption in this government. Filipinos abroad, especially Fil-Ams, despise the dishonesty of GMA’s allies," he said.
"GMA has brought nothing but international shame to our country since she first occupied Malacanang. Numerous scandals have hit her government but none of her allies have been investigated or pro-secuted," Roxas said.
The country’s honor and prestige, he reiterated, could only be restored if President Arroyo musters the political will to order the investigation and prosecution of her allies and relatives—including her husband, First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo—who have been dragged into all sorts of corruption scandals since she assumed the presidency in January 2001.
The latest controversy to hit the country is the World Bank’s finding of collusive practices among contractors and govern-ment officials in the rigged bidding for road projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways, among other agencies.
The decision of the international lending body to bar the participation of three Filipino contractors and seven Chinese firms in any of its funded projects in the country has revived global attention on the corrupt and illegal activities of government officials and leaving the impression that such acts are condoned or even permitted by the President herself.
Canada-based Johnny de Leon has written Roxas lauding him for defending the honor and integrity of the nation.
De leon said Filipinos worldwide have lost their integrity because of the rampant corrup-tion in (Philippines) government. He narrated one instance when Filipinos in his community boycotted a supermarket after one of its Canadian workers confronted a young child for picking a candy in the sweets section and shouting at him "You all Filipinos are thieves!"
He said, Filipinos left the grocery store after hearing the invective. The next day, they surrounded the vicinity with placards condemning the discri-mination. The store owner, he added, apologized days later.
Roxas said it is not too late for President Arroyo to redeem herself, but she will have to muster political will to bring to justice all those who have shamed the country.
The disregard of the country’s honor continues. Can GMA still revive her reputation among Filipinos, especially those toiling hard in other countries?," Roxas stressed.
"Our country’s honor is important. As president of this country, it is her responsibility to preserve our reputation," he added.
Roxas On Affordable Meds: LGUs Must Lead
Senator Mar Roxas urged local government units to take the lead in hastening the implemen-tation of the new Quality and Affordable Medicines law for the benefit of their constituents.
This, as he remains unsatisfied with the national government’s pace in implementing the landmark law, especially at this time of crisis when the sick are among the most vulnerable.
"The government is dragging its feet in implementing this law. I call on you to take the lead in making sure that your constituents could immediately avail of quality and affordable medicines," he told local leaders of Tanauan City, Batangas and Dagupan City, Pangasinan during separate medical missions there.
"We should prioritize affordable healthcare. The law should immediately be implemented, especially for our elderly whose maintenance drugs are very expensive," he stressed.
The primary author of the Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act of 2008 said local governments should come to the rescue of the country’s poor and elderly, take the lead by directly acquiring affordable medicines from abroad, put up more Botika ng Bayan outlets in their jurisdictions.
"It would be better if LGUs directly acquire cheaper drugs from manufacturing firms. That way, the waiting period for our citizens would be shorter," Roxas stressed.
"This was passed last year. It’s February. They’re not only dragging their feet; as if they are deliberately looking for reasons not to implement the law properly," he said.
Roxas was in Tanauan City, Batangas last week for a medical mission and forum on cheaper medicines. Another medical mission and forum was also held in Dagupan City, Pangasinan on Friday. /MP
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