Senator Panfilo Lacson criticized the recent decisions of the government after they decided to implement a travel ban to Taiwan amid the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) scare.
Lacson compared the recent decision of the government to the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).
“Just like the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement, the Philippine government’s travel ban to Taiwan is a policy decision implemented by the executive department which may not necessarily be correct, health-wise and politically,” Lacson said in a statement.
Lacson, when asked by the reporters, said that it’s not impossible that China lobbied for the inclusion of Taiwan in the travel ban.
“The travel ban may already have potentially dire consequences for our Filipino workers there,” he said
He then said that the Philippines have now a President who doesn’t like to follow the advice of his advisers.
“We elected a President who does not appear to give much importance to counsels and consultations with sectors that could very well help him arrive at well-informed decisions,” Lacson added.
Despite his current criticisms against the government, Lacson said that he’s still going to support to President but he’s not going to stop calling him out.
“Having said that, I continue to support his leadership but I will not stop calling him out on major decisions which I don’t think to serve the best interest of our country and people,” he said.
Meanwhile, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles defended the decision of the government to impose a Taiwan travel ban.
“I think the results will speak for itself: We’ve been able to contain the problem; we’ve been able to manage it better. And I think we stand with that decision,” Nograles said.