GMA 7 VP Debate Winner

Dishonesty over cheaper medicines law

Iloilo City - Nacionalista Party vice presidential bet Senator Loren Legarda on Thursday accused rival Senator Manuel “Mar" Roxas II of intellectual dishonesty for allegedly claiming authorship of the cheaper medicines law when he weakened it.

Legarda told hundreds of NP supporters during the mini-rally held at Barutac Nuevo Gym that the true author of the law that cut medicine prices was then Rep Rolex Suplico and was sponsored by Rep. Ferjenel Biron, chair of the House committee on Health.

"That is intellectual dishonesty," she said.

Suplico, now Iloilo vice governor, and Biron are both seeking reelection under the NP.

"Merong nagpanggap na syang author ng cheaper medicines ni Cong. Rolex, kinuha yung titulo at tinanggal yung laman at ginawang pro-multi national at hindi maka-mahirap. This law is really anti-poor. It is pro-multinational it is anti-poor. Pinatay ni Mar yung batas," Legarda said in a separate press conference held at Hotel de Rio where the NP ticket stayed.

(Someone is claiming authorship of the cheaper medicines law of Congressman Rolex but he merely took the title and eliminated the contents to favor multi-nationals and not to benefit the poor. Mar killed this law.)

In the same press conference, Biron said the cheaper medicines law originated from the House of Representatives and pushed by Suplico during his first term in the 13th Congress.

"I think we have to settle the remarks straight. We pushed this and the heart and soul of this cheaper medicines law is the price regulation commission na inayawan ni Senator Mar Roxas," he said.

He added: "In fact during the 13th Congress, in a forum na dinidiscuss ito, he’s really against the price regulation. When we filed it again in the 14th Congress inayawan ni Sen. Mar to the last day of the discussion in the bicameral conference committee.

(During the 13th Congress, when this matter was being discussed in a forum, he was really against price regulation. When we filed it again in the 14th Congress, Senator Mar Roxas opposed this until the last day of the discussion in the bicameral conference committee.)

"So it is so ironical that now he is claiming that he is the one responsible for bringing down price of medicines when in fact sya ang pumatay nito na batas na ito because what he was pursuing was amendment to the intellectual property code not the price regulation," Biron said.

(It is ironic that he is claiming responsibility for bringing down medicine prices when in fact he himself killed the law because because what he was pursuing was amendment to the intellectual property code not the price regulation.)

Suplico and Biron claimed that the senator watered down the law by removing the provision mandating pricing mechanisms and making it more favorable to drug companies.

“It’s a weak law. In fact, when it was passed we made a statement that this law is a weak law, that it will not benefit the majority of the Filipinos. But at least we have something because everyone is aspiring in the last 50 years to reduce price of medicines. So hinarangan, you know, ngayon ang humarang he’s the one laying claim as the author of the law. Dahil kay Mar Roxas naging bakla ang batas," Suplico said.

(The person who claims authorship of the law is the same one who has emasculated it.)

He said Roxas pushed for the deletion of the provision that would have required setting up a drug price regulation board which will govern the pricing of the medicines.

For his part, Roxas said that criticism leveled against him only shows that its “desperation time."

“Cheaper medicine has been something I’ve fought for over ten years," Roxas said in a text message to GMANews.TV.

“The pharmaceutical companies have filed cases and have thrown black propaganda against me because of this," he added.

He began his efforts as a congressman by filing legislation exempting medicines and raw materials from taxes in order to bring down their cost, the same text message said.

As Trade Secretary under former president Joseph Estrada, Roxas said he brought in the first parallel importation of drugs.

When he became President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s Trade Secretary, Roxas said he negotiated world trade agreements exempting medicines from intellectual property restrictions.

“I expanded the parallel importation program to what is now Botica ng Bayan/Barangay," he said in the same text message.

“When I became a senator in 2004, I began the leg work on this and it finally passed onto law in June 2008," he said. “Since then I have consistently fought for its strict implementation, even fighting President Arroyo for giving consideration to pharmaceutical companies and allowing them to do voluntary reduction vs. mandatory."

To all those who said they would for MAR but NOT for NOY:

That is your decision. But may i point out that that is inconsistent with your said "belief in Mar". If Mar stepped down from the presidency to give way to NOY to be the leader over him, and you respect Mar's judgment, then you should also vote for Noy. Recall that what we NEED now is NOT a leader who can speak well and defend well like Marcos, but what we NEED is a leader with a PURE HEART..the Heart of Service. and Mar, your idol, saw that in NOY. Mar didn't see that in other candidates, and he was not fooled by the flawless way they spoke.

MAR is clean. But if the President who wins is DIRTY, most especially one allied with GMA, Mar's good intentions for us will be put to nothing. Again.

Choose Wisely.

It is not because kababayan ko si Mar Roxas, ay bobotohin ko na siya agad bilang vice president..But i find in him as the sincerest, honest and the rightful candidate for the vice presidency position.. I always follow up his activities and read all his articles and news bulletin to be consistent and dedicated public servant.
Unlike the other candidates for VP, who dont have a good platform and plans for the republic.
Go Mar Roxas,, you can assure us, Ilonggos are all out supporting you!!! Landslide ka diri sa visayas at mindanao... Pang Masa ka Sen. MAr Roxas.. I salute in you....
Good Luck and God Bless you!!!!

We need somebody like Noynoy and Mar... am tired of those "sweet talking," "mapagpanggap mahirap" politicians...it's time that we give our beloved Philippines na makabangon uli. Go Aquino-Mar on May 10, 2010...

noy and mar kami dito sa cdo! we'll pray na mananalo silang dalawa.(noy-mar) kakatakot kung si villar manalo,kawawa tayong lahat mga mahihirap... hahay

Gibo is a good speaker. There are lots of people and former Presidents who are good speakers, i.e. Marcos, etc., but what have they done to our nation? I don't believe with Gibo. I'm sure he is only good in talking. I don't trust Manny Villar either. He is projecting himself to be "mahirap". You can't fool everybody Mr. Villar. Not all of us are dumb. You are a hypocrite! Please don't fool the Filipino people, especially the poor.

Sayang Sen. Mar. Sana di ka na lang nag give way kay Noy. Mas deserve mong maging President. I will vote for you as VP dahil bilib talaga ako sa kakayanan mo. Unfortunately I can't say the same for Noy. I will be voting for Gibo.

Good luck Sen. Mar and mabuhay po kayo!

This seems to me rather inconsistent! On one hand, you are saying you don't agree with his decision to give way to Noynoy and on the other hand, you truly believe in what he's capable of doing. On the that context, isn't his decision to give way to Noynoy was a well deliberated decision that he made like any other wise decisions he made in his political, professional and personal life? To not support his decision this time as to what he believes would be the best to lead the country to a re-stored trust and good governance for the benefit and good of the Filipno people, is like depriving him of his better judgement. If he did not strongly believe in that decision, then he would not have believed the credibility of their tandem. He believes this partnership is what the people and the nation needs very badly to save us from further ruin, so let us support him and his running mate for them to do their common goal better and easier for the common good of the nation as a whole. How can you make a marriage work in your house if you are insinuating the partnership is better with another's husband or wife? Be sensible, vote Mar and Noynoy if you sincerely believe in Mar, that is!

2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Senator Mar and Senator Noy .you are the persons that are humble that the filipino people need. I am praying for both of you and the whole liberal party to win.I cannot vote as i am a Us citizen but praying everyday for both of you .

I absolutely vote mar roxas as vice president and dick gordon as president because both of them have rendered real public service to filipino people for the past few years.