Pampanga town mayor on conflict of interest rap: I’ve divested from firm

MANILA, Philippines — The mayor of Pampanga’s Magalang town on Thursday said she has already divested from a manpower firm following allegations of irregularity.

The accusations stem from a conflict of interest complaint filed against her before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Mayor Maria Lourdes “Malu” Lacson made the remark after the United Pilipino Against Crime and Corruption founder Pyra Lucas filed the complaint.

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The case includes alleged violation of Republic Act (RA) 3019 or the Anti Graft and Corrupt Practices Act against the mayor and other municipal officials.

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The Anti Graft and Corrupt Practices Act prohibits government officials from having direct or indirect financial interest in any business, contract or transaction in which they intervene or take part in their official capacity.

Lacson said she has yet to receive a copy of the charge. 

“Once an official copy is received, she will respond thoroughly and directly in detail at the proper time and through the appropriate legal forum,” the mayor’s camp said in a statement. 

Lucas said the manpower agency allegedly linked to Lacson supposedly recruited about 200 employees to Chuangxing Steel Inc.

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“Mayora Malu Lacson and her entire family supplies manpower to the Chuangxing Steel Corporation with their manpower [agency] named Kingsmen Manpower Agency,” Lucas said in an ambush interview after the filing of complaint-affidavit. 

Lucas believes this situation constitutes “conflict of interest because she is the sitting mayor.”

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In response, “Mayor Lacson strongly refutes any allegations of conflict of interest,” her office said in a statement. 

It noted that she and her husband “fully divested all their interests” in Kingsmen Manpower Services since May 2022, or prior to her assumption of office as mayor. 

“Furthermore, Kingsmen has no active operations and maintains no contract or manpower deployment with Chuanxing Steel,” the statement further said.

Chuangxing was raided and shut down on July 18 after authorities discovered allegedly substandard steel products and radioactive materials inside the facility.

This is according to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

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NBI said that steel bars from Chuangxing Steel Inc. were used in a nine-storey building in Angeles City, which collapsed and left 27 persons dead. /apl