Mayor Malu Paras-Lacson clarified during a Senate hearing that she was not yet mayor of Magalang when the business permit for Chuangxing Steel was initially issued on October 17, 2019.
Lacson made the clarification during the Senate Committee on Economic Affairs’ ongoing inquiry into the domestic steel industry, where she appeared as a resource person.
The mayor said the initial business permit of the steel plant was issued by the succeeding mayor in 2019.
“I was not able to sign the initial application of Chuangxing because I am still looking for the ECC and DTI Permit [before the 2019 elections],” Lacson told the committee.
She added that the permit was issued on October 17, 2019, before she assumed office as mayor.
“My administration granted no special favors or accommodation to Chuangxing,” she said.
Lacson also addressed her previous association with Kingsmen Manpower and General Services Corp., which was established in October 2019, when she was not serving as mayor.
According to Lacson, she fully divested her shares and interests in Kingsmen in May 2022, before assuming office as mayor, to avoid any conflict of interest.
“I fully divested our interest in Kingsmen Manpower and General Services Corp. prior to my assumption as mayor,” she said.
She explained that the failure to reflect the divestment in the company’s General Information Sheet (GIS) was an administrative oversight in the corporate filing.
Lacson attended the Senate hearing in response to an invitation letter asking her to serve as a resource person.
The hearing, led by Senator Risa Hontiveros, is part of the Senate’s inquiry into the domestic steel industry.
