Lacson: I’m willing to give Tesda chief the benefit of the doubt

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said he is willing to give Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) Director-General Jose Francisco “Kiko” Benitez the benefit of the doubt that he did not know about the supposed P5 million allocation offered to him.

His statement came Monday as Benitez, over the weekend, denied authorizing the supposed offer to Lacson made by a certain Stephanie on behalf of the agency.

“At the very least, I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt na hindi niya alam,” Lacson said, referring to Benitez.

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(At the very least, I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt that he doesn’t know)

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READ: Tesda chief denies P5-M ‘allocation’ for Lacson

“Kasi para sa akin, mas simple sana ’yung denial niya kung sinabi niyang, ‘Wala kaming staff na ganoon. Hindi ko kakilala ’yan,’” he added in a DzBB interview.

(For me, it would have been simpler if he had denied it by saying, ‘We don’t have a staff member like that. I don’t know her,’)

On Saturday, Lacson said he was offered a P5 million allocation in a message sent through his staff.

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He clarified that he felt the need to expose the offer to set the record straight that he did not accept it.

Asked about updates on Stephanie’s identity also on Monday, Lacson told the Inquirer in a message, “Hindi ko siya kilala, neither did my staff that she contacted. Ang intro niya, nakuha lang niya [mobile] number ng staff ko from a person she named.”

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(I don’t know her, and neither does my staff member whom she contacted. She said she got my staff member’s [mobile] number from a person she named.)

READ: Senate to tackle Tesda ‘offer’ to Lacson

“Inaalam ko pa kung staff nga siya  sa Tesda and who authorized her to offer the P5M,” he added.

(I am still verifying whether she is indeed a staff member at Tesda and who authorized her to offer the P5 million.)

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Lacson reiterated that during the plenary debates on Tesda’s budget in November, he will clarify the matter before its sponsor, as they will no longer be allowed to ask the head of agency in the plenary. /cb