Hontiveros questions Magalang, Pampanga mayor over ties to…
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Hontiveros questions Magalang, Pampanga mayor over ties to manpower agency
ARTICLE BY VICTORIA TULAD
“Is it not a conflict of interest for a mayor or other persons working in government to establish a company?
This was one of the questions of Senator Risa Hontiveros to Magalang, Pampanga Mayor Maria Lourdes Lacson during the third hearing of the Senate Committee on Economic Affairs regarding the domestic steel industry.
Lacson established the Kingsmen Manpower and General Services, which, according to Hontiveros, supplied workers to Chuangxing Steel Incorporated, a company that produced steel bars used in a nine-story building that collapsed in Angeles, Pampanga last May.
Lacson explained that she was not mayor when the agency was established in October 2019.
“Kingsmen Manpower and General Services was established in 2019 but it never went operational because of the pandemic then. And in 2019, madam Chair, I was not the mayor anymore in Magalang because I lost the May 19, 2019 election,” Lacson said.
“Before I assumed mayor in 2022 again, kasi po nanalo na ulit tayo ng 2022, in May 25, 2022 we already processed the divestment of my full shares and interest of Kingsmen,” she added.
Hontiveros, pointed out, however, that Lacson’s name was still included in the company’s 2026 General Information Sheet (GIS).
“Nagtataka po ako, mayor, bakit niyo kailangang mag-divest kung hindi operational?” asked Hontiveros who is the committee chairperson.
“At saka po kakapasok lang po sa komite yung SEC documents po ng Kingsmen Manpower agency and dito po sa General Information Sheet ng 2026, ngayong taon, nakalagda po kayo at nakalagda po ang brother-in-law ninyo,” Hontiveros said.
Lacson denied this.
“It was an administrative oversight by the staff na na-assign po for the corporate filing or the updating of the GIS po. And since the company is not operational and maybe the filing of the corporate filings in the SEC were delayed,” Lacson said.
Hontiveros said she will ask the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) about this.
“Even outside this issue of divestment at saka yung issue na naka-appear kayo ulit sa papers ng Kingsmen sa SEC ngayong taon, even outside those issues po, hindi ba yung very act ng pag-establish ng kompanya ay conflict of interest?” Hontiveros asked.
Lacson reiterated that she was not mayor when Kingsmen was established.
Department of Justice (DOJ) Undersecretary Ian Norman Dato said the principle of conflict of interest and violation of prohibition against mayors engaging in business may possibly be brought before them.
“The law is clear that public officials, before assuming their office, must divest their business interests. So whether or not a public official has done so is a matter of public record because it will be shown in the SALN, Statement of Assets and Liabilities that will be filed by the concerned government official,” Dato explained.
Lacson, meanwhile, assured that they had addressed the concerns of residents regarding Chuangxing such as the smoke that came from it.”
SOURCE: https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/9/11/hontiveros-questions-magalang-pampanga-mayor-over-ties-to-manpower-agency-1833
#pinoy #ph #philippines
source
ARTICLE BY VICTORIA TULAD
“Is it not a conflict of interest for a mayor or other persons working in government to establish a company?
This was one of the questions of Senator Risa Hontiveros to Magalang, Pampanga Mayor Maria Lourdes Lacson during the third hearing of the Senate Committee on Economic Affairs regarding the domestic steel industry.
Lacson established the Kingsmen Manpower and General Services, which, according to Hontiveros, supplied workers to Chuangxing Steel Incorporated, a company that produced steel bars used in a nine-story building that collapsed in Angeles, Pampanga last May.
Lacson explained that she was not mayor when the agency was established in October 2019.
“Kingsmen Manpower and General Services was established in 2019 but it never went operational because of the pandemic then. And in 2019, madam Chair, I was not the mayor anymore in Magalang because I lost the May 19, 2019 election,” Lacson said.
“Before I assumed mayor in 2022 again, kasi po nanalo na ulit tayo ng 2022, in May 25, 2022 we already processed the divestment of my full shares and interest of Kingsmen,” she added.
Hontiveros, pointed out, however, that Lacson’s name was still included in the company’s 2026 General Information Sheet (GIS).
“Nagtataka po ako, mayor, bakit niyo kailangang mag-divest kung hindi operational?” asked Hontiveros who is the committee chairperson.
“At saka po kakapasok lang po sa komite yung SEC documents po ng Kingsmen Manpower agency and dito po sa General Information Sheet ng 2026, ngayong taon, nakalagda po kayo at nakalagda po ang brother-in-law ninyo,” Hontiveros said.
Lacson denied this.
“It was an administrative oversight by the staff na na-assign po for the corporate filing or the updating of the GIS po. And since the company is not operational and maybe the filing of the corporate filings in the SEC were delayed,” Lacson said.
Hontiveros said she will ask the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) about this.
“Even outside this issue of divestment at saka yung issue na naka-appear kayo ulit sa papers ng Kingsmen sa SEC ngayong taon, even outside those issues po, hindi ba yung very act ng pag-establish ng kompanya ay conflict of interest?” Hontiveros asked.
Lacson reiterated that she was not mayor when Kingsmen was established.
Department of Justice (DOJ) Undersecretary Ian Norman Dato said the principle of conflict of interest and violation of prohibition against mayors engaging in business may possibly be brought before them.
“The law is clear that public officials, before assuming their office, must divest their business interests. So whether or not a public official has done so is a matter of public record because it will be shown in the SALN, Statement of Assets and Liabilities that will be filed by the concerned government official,” Dato explained.
Lacson, meanwhile, assured that they had addressed the concerns of residents regarding Chuangxing such as the smoke that came from it.”
SOURCE: https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/9/11/hontiveros-questions-magalang-pampanga-mayor-over-ties-to-manpower-agency-1833
#pinoy #ph #philippines
source
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