By Robert B. Roque, Jr.
Two months after the court issued warrants of arrest against Gerald Bantag and Ricardo Zulueta, the top prison officials allegedly behind the plot to kill hard-hitting radio commentator Percy Lapid (real name: Percival Mabasa) back in October 2022, the Department of Justice is dangling bounties of P2 million for Bantag and P1 million for Zulueta.
It’s about time, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla. But it would have best served the interest of justice if you had utilized the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to keep tabs on Bantag when he was still freely going about, attending public events such as those separate occasions — one attended by Senator Imee Marcos; and the other by the President himself. Doing so could not have possibly cost P2 million.
Where’s the money?
Newly appointed Health Secretary Ted Herbosa has made his eight-point agenda known this week, with the delivery of universal healthcare as his top priority. While that is well and good, it seems that the truth about the non-disbursement or delayed release of healthcare workers’ allowances has yet to be uncovered.
Earlier, Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte rightfully demanded that Herbosa investigate what happened to the P12.57 billion in COVID-19 allowances that the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) claimed to have released to the Department of Health (DOH) months ago.
One would assume that for their life-saving efforts at the height of the pandemic, healthcare workers and non-healthcare workers should have received their emergency allowances by now. It is disheartening that these dedicated individuals, who risked their lives for the welfare of the people, are still awaiting the compensation they are owed.
The DBM’s claim that the funds have been released to the DOH raises more questions than answers. Where is the P12.57 billion balance that was supposed to be disbursed to the intended beneficiaries? And what about the P1.94 billion in allowances that approximately 20,000 healthcare workers have reportedly been waiting for since October 2021, according to the United Private Hospital Unions of the Philippines?
Mr. Secretary, if you cannot find that mountain of cash under the DOH’s roof, how else can you aim for the loftier mission of delivering universal healthcare?
Unbelievable!
At the 14th Edition of the International Conference of Information Commissioners (ICIC) in Pasay City, President Junior pledged to safeguard the Freedom of Information (FOI) and sustain the government’s fight against misinformation and deception.
“Fake news should have no place in modern society,” the Chief Executive said as he announced a Media and Information Literacy Campaign to support the FOI Program.
It’s pretty amusing to hear a Marcos speak about the importance of truth and combating fake news. It seems the President conveniently forgot the dictatorial and corrupt past he grew up in, which his administration has been tirelessly trying to erase.
Be careful what you wish for, sir!
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