Suarez refutes Lacson’s claim of overpriced ambulances

“So my appeal to Ping (Lacson) is: when you speak, the media will pick it up, and in the eyes of the media and the public, you will make it appear that what you said is true, that the House allocated overpriced ambulances,” Suarez said. (File Photo: @ManongDanny/Twitter)

MANILA — House of Representatives Minority Leader Danilo Suarez on Tuesday refuted Senator Panfilo Lacson’s statements over the alleged “overpriced” ambulances allocated to congressmen in the 2019 budget, saying the PHP2.5 million per ambulance might even be below the market price of each vehicle.

In a press briefing, the Quezon lawmaker referred to media reports that quoted Lacson as allegedly having said that each ambulance may be overpriced by as much as PHP1 million.

The ambulance purchase is part of the PHP25-million allocation for the Health Facilities and Enhancement Program under the Department of Health.

The senator noted that if there are 295 congressmen and each ambulance is overpriced by PHP1 million, then there will be PHP295 million in overpriced purchase of ambulance.

“I don’t know where he got that price. The price that he was referring may have been 15 years ago,” Suarez said.

He pointed out that the basic price of vehicles currently used as ambulances in the country already runs into about PHP2 million without the necessary medical equipment.

“A complete ambulance with all the medical equipment on board, including a defibrillator for heart attack victims runs from PHP5 million to PHP6 million,” Suarez said.

He urged Lacson to be more circumspect in the statements he issues since whatever he says will be surely published by the media, alluding to the special treatment that the senator has been receiving from several media entities.

“So my appeal to Ping (Lacson) is: when you speak, the media will pick it up, and in the eyes of the media and the public, you will make it appear that what you said is true, that the House allocated overpriced ambulances,” Suarez said.

“Now, how can we correct that? Ngayon nagsasalita ako: palagay ko Ping nagkamali ka doon (Now I have spoken: Ping, I think you are wrong). But how many media outlets will pick up my statement today?,” he added, as he appealed to media for balanced reporting.