Albay Vice-Governor Edcel “Grex” Lagman makes fun of Senator Christopher “Bong” Go who mentioned him during his speech in the Senate a month ago.

In his privilege speech, Go defended the “Malasakit Centers” from the criticisms of Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman urging him not to be “anti-poor.”

He even mentioned Rep. Lagman’s son, Grex who visited one of the openings of the Malasakit Center in Albay.

Lagman Jr. couldn’t stop himself from defending his father from the criticisms of Go so he made a Facebook post to make fun of his party mate in Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-LABAN).

In his post, titled “You elect clowns. Expect a circus”, Lagman took a swipe against Go, claiming that the Senator’s face was put in every government hospitals in the Philippines to promote himself in the last senatorial elections.

“A public health system that allowed itself to be driven by patronage. A senatorial wannabe’s irritatingly ugly face plastered all over government hospitals all over the Philippines,” Lagman said.

“Self-promotion for political “pogi points” eh mukha namang tukmol. Walang hangganang kaepalan na gamit ang kaban ng bayan. Ayan na po si Ssenador “feeling gwapo looking g*GO” na pekeng may malasakit,” he added.

He even mocked Go for being number 14 in the senatorial elections in Albay, saying that the Albayano doesn’t like his style of campaign.

“Kahit tumodo ka sa kapelan mo sa Albay, no. 14 ka lang. Kase ayaw ng mga Albayano sa style mong bulok!” he said.

Lagman ran under President Duterte’s PDP-Laban, the same party of Sen. Bong Go last senatorial elections.

Meanwhile, his father Edcel Lagman kept his membership in the Liberal Party.

Vice President Leni Robredo said that the United States has the right to ban Filipino government officials who are allegedly involved to Senator Leila De Lima’s detention from visiting America if they want to.

In her radio show “Biserbisyong Leni,” Robredo said that it’s the right of the U.S to choose the people who can visit their country.

“Karapatan nila iyon. Pareho din noong karapatan ng China na i-prevent iyong officials natin na papasok, puwedeng hindi tayo sang-ayon pero hindi siguro natin maipagkakaila na karapatan nila iyon bilang isang bansa,” Robredo said.

She also said that it’s up to the Philippine government if they’re going to give attention to the proposal of US Senators Patrick Leahy and Dick Durbin or not.

“Choice naman natin iyong kung magpapa-pressure tayo o hindi, ‘di ba. Kahit pa anong gawin noong nasa labas na i-pressure tayo, nasa sa atin kung magpapa-pressure tayo. In the same manner na choice din nila iyong pagdedesisyon kung sino iyong papasok sa bansa nila o hindi,” The Vice President stated.

However, she said that whether we like it or not, the government of the Philippines should not question the actions of the American Senators.

“Siguro iyong pag-kuwestiyon noong aksyon nila, hindi natin iyon puwedeng pakialaman kasi in the same manner na hindi nila dapat pakialaman iyong mga desisyon natin, hindi din natin puwedeng pakialaman iyong desisyon nila kasi statement iyon ng mga values na mahalaga sa kanila,” she said.

Robredo is one of the allies of Senator Leila De Lima, a critic of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Meanwhile, several Senators including Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go wanted to counter the proposal of the American Senators by banning them from visiting the Philippines.

According to Go, the said Senators of America are interfering with the affairs of the country.

“These senators should also be banned here in the Philippines. I will suggest to President Duterte to ban these legislators from entering our country for interfering in our internal affairs. These senators think they know better than us in governing ourselves,” said Go.

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go proposed that the Philippines should counter the proposal of United States Senator Patrick Leahy and Dick Durbin of banning all Filipino government officials from visiting America if they’re involved in the detention of Senator Leila De Lima.

In an interview, Sen. Go said that they should also ban foreign government officials who are interfering with the internal affairs of our country from visiting PH.

He expressed disappointment over the US Senators for not trusting the judicial system of the Philippines.

“These senators should also be banned here in the Philippines. I will suggest to President Duterte to ban these legislators from entering our country for interfering in our internal affairs. These senators think they know better than us in governing ourselves,” said Go.

“Nakakaloko kayo. Wala kayong tiwala sa aming judicial system,” he added.

Go told the Senators not to listen to intrigue and to mind their “own business”.

The aide of the President-turned-Senator made the said statements while attending the 118th commemoration of the Balangagiga Day in Eastern Samar.

Meanwhile, Senator Leila De Lima thanked the US Senators defended her.

“The proposal of US Senators Dick Durbin and Patrick Leahy to impose a visa ban against Philippine government officials is a clear message that impunity while remaining unchecked in our country, may find an end in the “home of the brave and the land of the free.” De Lima said.

“Thank you, Senators Durbin and Leahy, and many other champions of justice and democracy, for reminding us that the world is still watching,” she said in another tweet.

US Senator Patrick Leahy, one of the lawmakers of America who proposed to block Filipino government officials involved in the detention of Senator Leila De Lima criticized Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo.

In a statement, Leahy argued that they have the “responsibility to respond” on the alleged maltreatment to Senator Leila De Lima because their country is giving a large amount of aid to the Philippines.

“Every year, the United States provides large amounts of aid to the Philippines, and I have supported that aid. I assume President Duterte’s spokesman who defended the wrongful detention of Senator De Lima does not consider our aid to be ‘interfering’ in their sovereignty,” Leachy said.

“Our aid is not a blank check, and when Philippine officials misuse the justice system for the purpose of political retribution, we have a responsibility to respond,” he added.

Leahy is proposing to block Filipino officials from entering the United States of America if they’re involved in the detention of Senator Leila De Lima, a critic of the current administration.

The US Senate Appropriations Committee passed the said amendment which criticized by the Palace.

According to Panelo, the move of the US Senators are a “brazen attempt” to interfere with the Philippines affairs.

“It treats our country as an inferior state unqualified to run its own affairs. All sensible Filipinos, regardless of their political or social association, should feel affronted and disrespected by this act,” Panelo said.

Several politicians like Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Senator Ping Lacson also questioned the move of the Leahy.

Meanwhile, opposition Senator Francis Pangilinan welcomed the move of Leahy, insisting that the US lawmaker is not interfering with the affairs of the Philippine government.

Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III criticized the proposal of American senators to ban the Filipino public officials who are behind the detention of Senator Leila De Lima from visiting the US.

According to Sotto, the said US senators Patrick Leahy and Richard Durbin are trying to meddle with the government of the Philippines despite not studying the case filed against De Lima.

“Mga pakialamero hindi naman nila alam ang kaso, she is innocent until proven guilty but those U.S. senators are not judges here in the Philippines,” Sotto said.

Malacanang also opposed the proposal of the US Senators, saying that the Filipinos must feel that they’re being disrespected.

“It seeks to place pressure upon our independent institutions thereby effectively interfering without a nation’s sovereignty. It is an insult to the competence and capacity of our duly constituted authorities as such act makes it appear that this US Senate panel has the monopoly of what is right and just,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said.

Panelo added that they’re not depriving De Lima of her rights to defend herself from the accusations against her.

“She is being afforder all her rights to due process and has in fact availed of available legal remedies under or procedural rules,” he said.

Meanwhile, opposition Senator Kiko Pangilinan welcomed the move of the two US lawmakers, insisting that the move is not an act of interfering with the Philippine government affairs.

’We do not consider the US Senate’s action as an interference in the affairs of a sovereign state. Human beings everywhere — regardless of ethnicity, nationality, class, religion, or gender — must speak out,” Pangilinan said.

Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Director General Gerald Bantag became emotional during an interview with DZMM while telling the people that despite the big problems in the national penitentiary, there’s still a hope to solve it.

Bantag has been appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte amid the discovery of corruption in the Good Conduct and Time Allowance (GCTA) law and other ways of inmates to live comfortably while serving their sentences.

The new BuCor chief vowed to solve the problem, saying that God is giving him the courage to face the new challenges for him.

“Ang masasabi ko lang po, may pag asa pa po… hindi po tayo dapat mawalan ng pag asa dahil ganyan man kabigat ang mga problema natin kasi mayroon po tayong Diyos,” Bantag said before he stop himself from crying.

“Sa Diyos lang po tayo humuhugot ng lakas,” he added.

In the same interview, Bantag vowed not to receive any amount of bribe, saying that he accepted the position as BuCor chief because he wanted to end the corruption there.

“Kahit ilang pera ang isuhol nila sa akin wala yun, sabi ko nga sa mga personnel ng BuCor eh hindi ako pumunta dito para magpayaman, pumunta ako dito para ayusin kayo,” he said.

He told the people to be thankful as there’s a President like Rodrigo Duterte and Senator like Christopher “Bong” Go who really wanted to end the corruption in the national penitentiary.

“Wag na po silang mawalan ng pag asa dahil ito na po ang pag asa natin ngayon,” he said.

Senator Manny Pacquiao has a message to Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman who’s part of the opposition bloc of the Congress.

In a privilege speech, Pacquiao responded on Lagman’s suspicion on the funds allocated for the “Malasakit Centers” across the country that aimed to help the poor who doesn’t have money to afford hospital fees.

Pacquiao, who’s an ally of President Rodrigo Duterte, expressed his sadness over the attitude of some politicians who seem only focused on criticizing the current administration and try to block its projects.

“Masakit lang isipin na ang programa na para sa mahihirap tapos may mga tao na komokontra…. Hindi ko maintidihan ‘yung mindset ng mga politiko dito sa Pilipinas, Mr. President,” Pacquiao said.

“Kasi pagka maganda ‘yung ginagawa para sa mga mahirap, dahil kalaban ka, kokontrahin ka. E nakakabuti naman sa taumbayan. Kaya wala ng progreso, walang kaunlaran ang bansa natin…” he added.

According to Pacquiao, politicians who always opposed the ideas of the government, despite it would benefit the poor should quit public office.

“Yung mga politiko na kumokontra parati sa magandang advocacy, sa mga magandang programa para sa mahihirap, tumigil na kayo sa pag se-serbisyo. Wala kayong kuwenta sa taumbayan,” he said.

“Especially itong si Lagman, laging kumokontra iyan sa programang magaganda. Maka-testify talaga ako na kumokontra siya. Hindi ko alam kung against siya sa mahihirap o para lang siya sumikat sa pagkontra sa gobyerno,” he also said.

Pacquiao said that he feel sad when some politicians are trying to block projects aim to help the poor because he also once experience poverty.

In an interview, Lagman questioned the government, saying that there should be a legal basis for the current administration to fund Malasakit Centers.

“I think there should be a legal basis for you to fund these Malasakit Centers and I would suppose that there is a need for you to investigate and validate the effectivity of these Malasakit Centers… Kindly make a thorough validation and investigation of the operations of these Malasakit Centers because it is like political partisan activity,” Lagman stated.

Mayor Isko Moreno urged former captain of Barangay 484, Zone 48 Guia Gomez Castro to surrender to the authorities after she was tagged as the “Shabu Queen” of Manila City.

Moreno made the call after the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Bureau of Immigration (BI) revealed that Gomez already left the country.

He also made the said request to the family of Gomez.

According to some report, Gomez has not reported for work since April 25.

“Ang mga ganitong akusasyon ay ang tanging solusyon dito, to ex-chairman Guia Gomez Castro, ay kayo po ay magpaliwanag sa opisina ng NCR director ng PNP at ng PDEA,” Moreno said in a Facebook live.

Meanwhile, Manila Police District Director General Vicente Danao said that Gomez went hiding when she heard that the former is being planned by the President to be appointed in the nation’s capital.

Like Moreno, he also urged Gomez to come out.

“Kung wala kang kasalanan, why do you have to hide? If you have no illegal activity, then you have nothing to hide. Come out in the open, clear your name,” Danao said.

“Ako kapag nalaman ko na may involvement ka, sigurado may paglalagyan ka,” he added.

Danao also revealed that he feel alone after he discovered that Gomez is being protected by “Ninja cops” and other high ranking officials.

‘Alam nyo, sa totoo lang, hindi ko na alam kung sino ang kasama  ko  sa PNP pakiramdam ko ay nag-iisa lang ako, alam nila ang paninindigan ko hindi nila ako kayang bilhin,isang taon na ako sa Maynila pero hanggang ngayon nanghihiram pa rin ako ng sasakyan ko,’ Danao said.

Television host Kris Aquino defended her brother former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III from the accusations that the latter is suffering from health problems.

On her Instagram account, Kris Aquino received a question from netizen @nomadthinker asking about her opinion of the latest photo her brother circulating on social media, showing the former President seems to lose weight.

“What’s your reaction on the suppose latest photo of Former President Noy that’s been circulating on Social Media. He looks so very ill,” Nomadthinker asked Aquino.

As a response, the television host said that she last saw her brother five months ago, admitting that they have some issues still unresolved.

However, she said that one of her children are visiting his uncle Noynoy regularly which gave him an impression that her brother is still healthy to accept visitors.

“How am I supposed to react? The truth is the last time we saw each other was almost 5 months ago, I have always been truthful- we aren’t close & we have several issues that remain unresolved, but kuya Josh sees him regularly. End of story for me. So maybe the fact he has the energy to bond with kuya he’s not VERY ill. Makes sense right? They were together Sunday, September 22,” Aquino said.

Several days ago, a photo showing the former President visiting an event has gone viral on social media and sparked rumors about Noynoy’s health.

“Hala mukhang tatakbo si Kris!” RJ “Thinking Pinoy” Nieto said on his post.

Some even compared the 59-year-old former President to the 74-year-old current chief executive Rodrigo Duterte.