TAXPAYERS SHOULD CONDEMN PORK BARREL SYSTEM - LACSON

Election year or not, the pork barrel fund has always been evil and a clear source of graft, and it is high time that taxpayers let their representatives know that they condemn it.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson said Friday that while pork is the 'glue' that keeps Malacañang and most lawmakers together, it also softens the moral ground of legislators and prevents an honest investigation of anomalies involving officials.

"It is time taxpayers and their relatives condemned the pork barrel system. It softens the moral ground of legislators whenever they investigate anomalies of officials from the executive department," he said.

He added that taxpayers should condemn the pork barrel whether or not elections are nearing, because the pork barrel promotes graft in all levels of the executive and legislative branches of government.

"Every year we lose billons of pesos to corruption because of the pork barrel system," he said.

Lacson rejected his pork barrel allocations since 2002 after seeing firsthand the 'temptations' it brings. He has since campaigned among his colleagues to reject their pork barrel allocations.

Yet, he lamented most lawmakers still accept their pork barrel funds, even as some have openly demanded an increase in their allocations.

"Election year or not, my position on the pork barrel has always been that it is evil. It is a clear source of graft that cuts across all levels of the legislative and executive branches of government. Whether they admit it or not, Malacañang and many lawmakers see eye to eye because of it," he said.