Lacson, Bato back proposal to sell military golf courses for additional COVID-19 funds

Two senators on Monday said they favor the proposal to sell some military golf courses to augment the government's budget for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) response.

Senator Panfilo Lacson, chairperson of the Senate committee on national defense and security, said he agrees with President Rodrigo Duterte on the possible sale of some government assets should the need arise amid the health emergency.

"As long as the physical security of military facilities will not be compromised if we cut the golf courses inside the military camps and sell the same to private developers, I am all for it as well as other out-of-the-box ideas," Lacson, a former chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said in a message to reporters.

He added that this extraordinary time requires extraordinary measures, "including quick and harsh punishments for gross incompetence but especially against those who steal and take advantage of public funds intended to save us from the COVID-19 pandemic."

Albay Representative Edcel Lagman on Sunday proposed to consider auctioning off the military golf courses in Camp Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, Villamor Air Base and the Veterans Memorial Medical Center, to generate additional funds of up to P150 billion to combat the contagion and its adverse effects.

Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, who also previously led the PNP under the Duterte administration, is also in favor of Lagman's proposal.

"I am OK with that as long as there is complete transparency in every transaction in order to avoid another failed promise of AFP modernization from the sale of Fort Bonifacio," Dela Rosa said in a separate message.

Duterte earlier said he would consider selling government assets if funds for the fight against COVID-19, and for the assistance to affected Filipinos run out.

"Pag maubos talaga ang pera, ipabili ko lahat ng propiyedad ng gobyerno. Iyang Cultural Center, PICC, yung lupa diyan. Totoo," Duterte said in a briefing aired at past midnight last Thursday.

"Kapag wala na akong makuha and we are about to sink, and really sink, I will sell all the assets of government tapos itulong ko sa tao," he added.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III, on the other hand, earlier said he doesn't think the Philippines will reach the point of selling its assets amid the COVID-19 crisis.

"I do not think it will get to that point considering the serious ways we are undertaking to address the disease," he said. — RSJ, GMA News