Lacson believes Malampaya deals should be probed, rectified

Presidential aspirant and Senator Panfilo Lacson on Tuesday said the recent acquisition of the Malampaya gas-to-power facility should be investigated and rectified.

In an ANC interview, Lacson said he is privy on the issues that were brought up during the Senate committee on energy hearing on the buy-in of Davao-based businessman Dennis Uy’s business into the Malampaya consortium.

“Privy ako doon sa ginawang hearing ni [Senate energy committee chairman Sherwin] Gatchalian.  Ang daming problema, ang daming questionable na sabihin nating hindi natin nakita but you know ‘yung deals nila dapat imbestigahan,” he said.

(I am privy of the hearing that was led by Senator Gatchalian. There are a lot problems and questionable matters that we did not see but you know, the deals should be investigated.)

“Get to the bottom of it at i-correct, i-rectify  kasi kung onerous, disadvantageous to our country, to the government then by all means, gawa tayo, within the legal framework, gawan natin ng paraan na ‘wag matuloy and it can only happen through an investigation,” he added.

(Get to the bottom of it, correct and rectify it. Because if it is onerous and disadvantageous to our country and to the government then by all means, we should make a way, within the legal framework, to block it and it can only happen through an investigation.)

During a hearing in late September 2021, Gatchalian released a document submitted by the Department of Energy that Uy’s UC MPPL’s available working capital was -$137.156 million, with a bank balance of $39.170 million.

This compares with the working capital requirement of $64 million in 2020, and $73 million in 2021.

In October, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi denied that the buy-in of Uy’s business into the Malampaya consortium was a midnight deal.

A criminal complaint has been lodged against Cusi, Uy, former and current officials of state-run Philippine National Oil Co.-Expolration Corp, and officials of Chevron Philippines over the alleged anomalous sale of the latter’s stake in the Malapamaya gas-to-power project to Uy’s enterprise.

The respondents have since denied any wrongdoing.

Zero-based budgeting

Meanwhile, Lacson said he would push for a zero-based budgeting should he be elected as the country’s next president.

“The National Expenditure Program is within the jurisdiction of the Executive Branch. We will change the system at least in the preparation of the budget,” he said.

“Instead of budget ceiling, ang unang (our first) reform is zero-based budgeting. You defend each and every program, activity, and project that you will implement, because after all babalik sa kanila ito (these projects will go back to them) for implementation,” he said in the same interview.

This, he said, will also fasttrack the implementation of the government projects because the budget plan will come from the local government units, which will implement the projects.

Lacson’s 2022 campaign centers on good governance, anti-corruption, and budget reforms. He is running with Senate President Vicente Sotto III. — RSJ, GMA News