"What is right must be kept right; what is wrong must be set right" - Sen. Ping Lacson

Lacson to Move vs Unnecessary Objections Delaying Corona Impeach Trial

2012-01-20T01:14:00.001-08:00

When the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona resumes next week, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson will push for ways to hasten the proceedings without sacrificing due process, as he noted many unnecessary legal objections are weighing down the trial.

Lacson said that during the first week of the impeachment trial, the Senate as an impeachment court was consistently bogged down by so many objections on the floor that accomplish "nothing except a delay in the trial."

"I intend to manifest next week before my co-jurors this observation, with the sole purpose of expediting the trial while preserving due process. There must be a balance between the two concerns and we must find that balance," Lacson said.

The Senate acting as an impeachment court resumes its hearings on Jan. 24.

Lacson said that while the trial in the Senate is not even a criminal proceeding but an impeachment trial, “we're consistently bogged down by so many objections on the floor that accomplish nothing except a delay in the trial.”

“While I'm not necessarily a stranger to court proceedings having quite a long experience appearing as a witness in the many criminal cases that I filed when I was still in the law enforcement service, I am now beginning to understand why it is impossible for justice to be rendered swiftly and fairly,” he said.

In many cases, he said a poor litigant will quit after exhausting whatever little savings he has when confronted in court by so many legal technicalities that delay his quest for justice.

"Now I understand why poor litigants seek justice elsewhere outside the courtroom, either by putting the law in their own hands to settle the score against a rich and powerful respondent, or turn to the New People's Army's kangaroo court," he said.

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Lacson Scores 'Undisciplined' Public Presentation of 'Evidence' on Pending Impeachment Trial

2012-01-03T17:38:00.000-08:00

Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson on Wednesday scored what he called an "undisciplined" public presentation of evidence in the upcoming impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Lacson said he cannot sit idly by as a senator-judge while the rules on impeachment trials, which prohibit the parties concerned from making comments and disclosures on the merits of a case, are blatantly violated.

"If we allow such undisciplined public presentation of evidence by any party in utter disregard of the ethics of their legal profession to continue, the Senate may lose control of the situation and I am certain it will damage not just the Senate as an impeachment court but the sacredness of the whole impeachment process as well," he said.

He noted the Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Trials unambiguously prohibit senator-judges, as well as prosecutors, the person impeached, their counsels and witnesses "from making any comments and disclosures in public pertaining to the merits of a pending impeachment trial."

The Senate, convening as an impeachment court, will start on Jan. 16 the impeachment trial of Corona, who the House of Representatives impeached last December.

But Lacson said some parties that continue to make public comments or so-called "disclosures" on the case threaten to make a mockery of the proceedings.

"We should not allow such mockery to go unchecked. Either we throw our impeachment rules out of the window or straight to their faces," he said.

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Oust-JPE Move Pure Hogwash

2011-12-16T17:59:00.001-08:00

Pure hogwash. This was how Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson on Saturday described alleged moves to oust Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile from the Senate presidency.

Lacson said it would be absurd for President Benigno Aquino III to pressure his former colleagues to convict impeached Chief Justice Renato Corona.

"The oust-JPE move is pure hogwash. I can categorically state that there is absolutely no move from anyone, much less from Malacañang, to oust Senate President Enrile. It is absurd to even imagine President Aquino putting pressure on the senators in order to secure a conviction," he said.

Besides, he said Aquino, who came from the ranks of the Senate, knows the mentality of the senators.

Lacson noted even former President Gloria Arroyo, "with all her diabolical posturing during the height of her power," failed to contain the majority of senators under Enrile's leadership.

He said the only possible power grab at this point is likely to come from the administration party, but he has yet to hear from its members.

"I as an ally am a natural magnet for recruitment. But I have yet to hear an overture from them," he said.

On the other hand, he said the claims that senators can be arm-twisted into convicting Corona is unfair because majority of senators "are not for sale."

"It is unfair to every senator to even speculate on the matter of recruitment in relation to the impeachment. A great majority of us in the Upper Chamber are not for sale. That I can say with authority," he said.

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Lacson Pushes for NBI, BI Budget Increase

2011-11-16T18:35:00.001-08:00

Senator Panfilo M. Lacson on Wednesday moved to augment the budget of the Bureau of Immigration and the National Bureau of Investigation in an effort to boost its law enforcement assets and capabilities.

Interpellating on the proposed budget of the Department of Justice, Lacson suggested sourcing the additional budget for the two agencies from the cancelled allocation for the construction of a new hall of justice for the city of Manila worth P400 million and the P33 million slash from the budget of the Office of the Secretary of Justice.

The budget cuts were made during the committee hearings on the General Appropriations Bill for 2012.

“In the President’s budget message, it was mentioned that the facilities and equipment of the NBI crime laboratories and forensic investigation will be modernized and upgraded,” Lacson, a former law enforcer himself, said in justifying his proposal.

Lacson noted that the BI and NBI budget – P461 million and P842 million, respectively - were measly compared to the budget allocations of the Philippine National Police and the AFP.

He said although the work force of the PNP and AFP are much bigger, funds for the BI and NBI should at least be at par and the additional allocation be commensurate to the number of their personnel and its official functions.

Senator Franklin Drilon, finance committee chairman and sponsor of the budget legislation, said the door is still open for specific amendments granting more funds to the BI and the NBI.

On the budget of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Lacson inquired on the legal basis used by the National Police Commission to arrogate upon themselves the function of managing funds generated from trust receipts issued by the PNP.

He said it was very unusual for the NAPOLCOM to dip its hands on the trust receipts income of the PNP.

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Controversial Arroyo Aide in Entourage Makes Medical Trip Abroad Fishy

2011-11-03T01:53:00.000-07:00

A controversial aide, the lack of extradition treaties in her real preferred countries, and the silence on which doctor she will meet with are making former President Gloria Arroyo's plan to seek medical help abroad smell fishy, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson said Thursday.

Citing information from his spy in the Justice Department, Lacson questioned the inclusion of Remedios Poblador, Arroyo's erstwhile secretary for "special concerns," as one of her entourage abroad.

"Isn't it suspicious that instead of strictly family members, it seems that she's bringing with her the whole 'secretariat?'" he said.

He said that while he has no objection to Arroyo seeking the best medical help possible, these three factors cast doubt on her real motives for wanting to leave the country.

Poblador gained controversy during the Arroyo administration when she allegedly offered money to "Hello Garci" witness Vidal Doble Jr. in exchange for his refusal to testify before a congressional inquiry into the "Garci" scandal.

She also dispatched a government helicopter to bring then Balanga Bishop Socrates Villegas to "rescue" Doble from the San Carlos Seminary in Makati City at the height of the "Garci" scandal in 2005.

Doble had also testified before the Senate that Poblador was one of the personalities he saw at the quarters of then Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Efren Abu, where his wife and two children were "detained."

Lacson also questioned why the countries Arroyo intends to travel to have no extradition treaty, saying her real intended countries include Austria, Germany and Spain.

Aside from this, he said Arroyo has been mum on the identity of the doctors she plans to consult during her trip abroad.

"She could not give details of the doctors she will consult with. What makes this more fishy is that of the 14 people in her entourage, most of them are aides," he said.

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Lacson Suggests 'Solomonic' Solution on Arroyo Foreign Trip

2011-10-30T00:15:00.001-07:00

Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson on Sunday suggested to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima a “Solomonic” solution in addressing former President Gloria Arroyo’s request to seek medical treatment abroad.

Lacson said that while Mrs. Arroyo should be allowed to seek the best medical treatment for her spine and neck problems, she should also do her part to make sure the proceedings in the charges against her are not delayed by her absence.

“My unsolicited advice to Sec. de Lima is to do a King Solomon: Allow ex-President Arroyo to leave for treatment abroad but only after she has submitted her counter-affidavit on the electoral sabotage and plunder case that she is being accused of, so as not to derail the preliminary investigations being conducted by the DOJ prosecutors,” he said.

“This way, her absence cannot delay the filing of information in court and the subsequent issuance of warrants of arrest against her by the court in case probable cause is established,” he added.

Presently, the DOJ is still studying a request by Mrs. Arroyo to seek medical treatment abroad. Mrs. Arroyo faces possible charges, including electoral fraud in the 2007 elections.

Earlier reports indicated Mrs. Arroyo had appealed that she be allowed to seek medical treatment abroad on the promise that she would return.

Mrs. Arroyo had obtained permission from the House of Reprsentatives to travel to Singapore, Spain, Germany, Italy and the United States from October 22 to December.

She plans to seek treatment for “hypoparathyroidism,” a condition caused by lack of calcium production in the body, which has aggravated her neck and spine problems.

But on Friday, de Lima said Mrs. Arroyo will have to spend All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days in the Philippines as the Justice Department is not likely to decide on her request until this coming week.

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Vicious Cycle Calls for All-Out War vs MILF

2011-10-22T23:23:00.001-07:00

Citing the vicious cycle of “rogues” committing abuses and hiding in Moro Islamic Liberation Front “territories,” Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson on Sunday maintained his stance of scrapping a deceit-laced peace process with the secessionist group.

Lacson lamented an “annoying common experience” that had cost the lives of many soldiers who could not distinguish between “real” and “rogue” MILF fighters in the past several years.

“It has become a vicious cycle: the ‘rogues’ conduct atrocities, kidnap civilians, or attack and ambush our troops then seek refuge within the confines of the MILF encampments or ‘territories,’“ he said.

“Even when I was still the Philippine National Police chief, I was being told the same story by my own police forces in Mindanao. This is the main reason why our soldiers are losing many battles against the MILF,” he added.

He said that in the case of the recent clashes in Mindanao, one can only imagine the frustration of the Army’s Special Forces in not being able to rescue and save the lives of their six captured men only because they were not supposed to encroach into an off-limits zone.

Even law enforcement agents can conduct hot pursuit rescue operations without a court-issued search warrant, he noted.

Soldiers should at least be allowed to do the same to save the lives of their own people, he said.

“Everybody wanting peace in Mindanao is a no-brainer. Pray tell me, how can we have real and lasting peace when we allow an organized group to bear arms and worse, unofficially allow their belligerence status?” he said.

Lacson also advised the government’s peace negotiators to “wake up” to the reality that renewed peace negotiations have become an arena for posturing by the MILF, because it is a basic negotiation technique to always deal from a position of strength.

“Our peace negotiators should now wake up to that reality. Review history and you will easily see the pattern and timing of escalation of the MILF ‘rogues’ atrocities,” he said.

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Senate May File Separate Charges vs Ex-FG and Company over Chopper Mess

2011-09-02T21:00:00.000-07:00

Another set of charges may loom over former First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo and company over the alleged P105-million "forced" purchase of used helicopters by the Philippine National Police, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson said Saturday.

Lacson said the Philippine National Police's filing of plunder charges with the Ombudsman over the chopper mess does not prevent the Senate from filing a different set of criminal complaints based on the evidence during the Senate Blue Ribbon committee hearings.

"We may likewise opt to include more individuals like Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio Arroyo, Atty. Lope Velasco, and Rowena del Rosario at least for perjury and/or falsification of public and private documents," said Lacson, whose expose triggered the Senate investigation into the mess.

"Lastly, we may also consider to amend the charges against Mike Arroyo et al if we see it fit to file the more appropriate criminal charges in order to ensure their conviction," he added.

The Senate Blue Ribbon investigation had traced the ownership of the helicopters sold to the PNP to the Arroyo-owned LTA Inc. Also, the Senate investigation showed National Police Commission and PNP officials tweaked the specifications in the bidding to "tailor-fit" the Arroyos' choppers.

The PNP on Friday lodged criminal complaints before the Ombudsman against the former First Gentleman and more than 20 others for the 2009 transaction.

Meanwhile, Lacson reminded the former First Gentleman it is now payback time for the abuses he engaged in during his wife's nine-year rule.

"If Mike Arroyo still does not get it, nobody in this world stays in power forever. It is payback time for the Filipino people and all those cheated of their taxes in this country," he said.

On the other hand, Lacson gave the former First Gentleman a "partial" consolation of sorts. "There's one among his numerous accusations against me that I won't argue albeit partially, if it is consolation enough for him: my motivation in running after him is 50 percent patriotism and 50 percent personal," he said.

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Lacson to Incoming Customs Chief: Continue Alvarez's Fight vs Institutionalized Corruption

2011-08-30T17:39:00.000-07:00

The next head of the Bureau of Customs should continue predecessor Angelito Alvarez’s fight against institutionalized corruption in the agency, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson said.

Lacson said Alvarez was on the right track in getting rid of the institutionalized corruption in the BOC when he was “unfortunately” given the boot at this time.

“It is unfortunate that Commissioner Angelito Alvarez is being given the boot at this time. He has barely started the reforms that the BOC badly needs. He knows his job very well and has been trying his darned best to correct the institutionalized corruption in the bureau,” he said.

He said it was Alvarez who discovered and exposed the case of the missing container vans, including the syndicates’ use of transshipment to avoid paying Customs duties and taxes.

On the other hand, Lacson said he expects former Rep. Rozzano Rufino Biazon, Alvarez’s reported replacement at the BOC, to learn the ropes of the job quickly and continue the reforms at the bureau.

“If I know him right, he is one straight and heads-up government official. He should be a good addition to PNoy’s administration,” Lacson said.

But he advised Biazon to break the “Friday habit” of those involved in smuggling-related corruption at the Bureau.

Citing information reaching him, Lacson said those engaged in corruption at the Bureau meet every Friday to divide the spoils.

“Once he learns the ropes, he’s one guy worth watching as far as reforms are concerned,” Lacson said of Bizon.

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Lacson Dares Mancao Camp: Donate Account's Proceeds to Dengue Victims

2011-08-18T23:31:00.000-07:00

Even as he accepted a challenge to prove the existence of an account to which a P150-million check was deposited, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson on Friday issued a counter-dare to the camp of former Senior Superintendent Cezar Mancao II: to donate to dengue victims the proceeds of that account.

Lacson said Mancao should issue an undertaking to the effect that Mancao will produce the equivalent amount of all withdrawals made from the account, and donate it to public hospitals accommodating dengue victims.

"I am willing to take up his challenge, if Mancao will issue an undertaking that he will produce an amount equivalent to all the withdrawals made from that account, and that it be donated to dengue victims, especially those confined in public hospitals," he said.

Mancao’s camp earlier challenged Lacson to trace the P150 million, and offered to turn over the proceeds of that account to him if he can trace it.

On Thursday, the Anti-Money Laundering Council confirmed the account of Mancao exists and that a P150-million check had been deposited to it.

Meanwhile, Lacson clarified he never accused Mancao of receiving the P150 million in exchange for linking him to the Dacer-Corbito case.

He said he merely sought a clarification on whether a copy of a document he had was authentic, and if the P150 million was credited to Mancao’s account.

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Lacson Resolution Fetes Top Cops for 2011

2011-08-18T20:48:00.000-07:00

Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson commended this year's recipients of the Country's Outstanding Policemen in Service (COPS) for giving Filipinos an inspiration with their dedication to service.

Lacson, who served as Philippine National Police chief from 1999 to 2001, filed Senate Resolution 562 to stress on the community the importance of supporting the police in fighting crime and keeping the peace.

"The Search emphasizes the need to situate the punitive aspect of law enforcement with the task of community relations and promotes police work as a shared responsibility between the policeman and the community," he said.

He added the Search for the C.O.P.S. highlights police officers who are models of excellence which will help change the negative public image that the PNP has seemingly acquired, "and inspires the public to work hand in hand with the PNP in preventing and solving crime."

Lacson also noted the Search is an expression of the civilian sector’s appreciation and gratitude to the effort of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in maintaining the peace and order situation in the country.

Thus, he said the Philippine Senate proudly joins the Metrobank Foundation, Inc., Rotary Club of New Manila East and PSBank in congratulating and commending these gallant police officers "who have actively solicited, mobilized, involved and organized the community to become fellow vanguards of the community."

This year's C.O.P.S. recipients include:

1. Superintendent Steve B. Ludan
2. Superintendent Samuel P. Turla
3. Chief Inspector Delia J. Ingalla
4. Senior Police Officer 4 Emmanuel P. Isiang
5. Senior Police Officer 2 Helen L. Dela Cruz
6. Senior Police Officer 1 Manuel A. Padlan
7. Police Officer 3 Rodel U. Alcano
8. Police Officer 2 Rina D. Salaya.

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Lacson Files Resolution Lauding Outstanding Soldiers for 2011

2011-08-18T20:44:00.000-07:00

Saying their gallantry and sacrifice should be an example to Filipinos, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson has filed a Senate resolution commending the 10 recipients of this year's The Outstanding Philippine Soldiers (TOPS).

In Senate Resolution 542 filed by Lacson, the Senate joins the Metrobank Foundation, Inc. and Rotary Club of Makati in honoring and commending the gallant men and women who risked their life and limb for the country.

"The Philippine Senate proudly joins the Metrobank Foundation, Inc. and Rotary Club of Makati in honoring and commending the gallant men and women who have risked their life and limb in the defense of our country’s sovereignty through this year’s 2011 search for Outstanding Philippine Soldiers," Lacson, a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy Class 1971, said in his resolution.

This year's awardees include:

1. Col. Daniel A. Lucero
2. Master Sergeant Sixto P. Navarrosa
3. Chief Master Sergeant Billy C. Benebile
4. Colonel Alexander F. Balutan
5. Technical Sergeant Rommel V. Carbon
6. Data Processor 3 Jairus M. Cenabre
7. Colonel Raul L. Del Rosario
8. Master Sergeant Maria Teresa M. Bitong
9. Master Sergeant Nelson S. Mercado
10. Colonel Alexis D. Tamondong

In 2003, the search for T.O.P.S. became a career achievement award that recognizes the contribution of a soldier’s best seven years of his or her service in the military.

The competition has raised the mode of excellence within the military which the other soldiers should emulate, and represents the ideals upheld by the larger sector of the national community.

It also highlights the contribution of the AFP in peace, security and in nation-building and development.

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Arroyo Brothers Bungled 'Another Rescue Job'

2011-08-15T21:31:00.001-07:00

Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson on Tuesday rebuffed on several fronts the claim of Negros Rep. Ignacio Arroyo Jr. that the helicopters supposedly sold forcibly to the Philippine National Police were not owned but “leased” by LTA Inc., the Arroyos’ family-owned company.

Like the San Francisco, California properties and the Jose Pidal accounts, Iggy Arroyo has developed the habit of rescuing big brother Mike but without much success.

Citing records from the criminal complaints filed by Jose Miguel Arroyo against Archibald Po with the Pasay City prosecutor's office, Lacson noted details on the so-called lease documents Arroyo presented contained several contradictions.

“They should do better than insult the Filipino people’s intelligence again,” he said.

Earlier, Lacson initiated a Senate inquiry into the P104.9-million mess where choppers supposedly used by the Arroyos were sold as brand-new to the PNP in 2009.

He noted the first discrepancy involved the date of the notarization of the lease agreement - March 16, 2004 - and the residence certificate of Lionair corporate secretary Renato Sia, on April 2, 2004.

It was impossible for Sia to sign the agreement with his residence certificate number not available at the time of the signing of the document.

Lacson also questioned why only the last page of the so-called lease agreement bore Sia's signature, when standard procedure requires that all the pages be signed by all parties concerned including the witnesses. The so-called lease agreement does not bear the signatures of witnesses.

But he said the third and most telling discrepancy was that the second and third batches of helicoppers arrived only on March 17 and 24 - after the “agreement” was supposedly signed March 16.

“So the choppers that were supposed to have been leased had not even entered the picture,” he said.

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Troika Should Tell Truth

2011-07-18T21:03:00.000-07:00

I hope that the troika – namely Lintang Bedol, Zaldy Ampatuan and Virgilio Garcillano – will collaborate and cooperate altogether in favor of the truth about the mockery of our country’s electoral process as institutionalized by Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Then, it will finally unravel what the Filipino people have known all along, albeit short in details.

While it may not cure the fraudulent Arroyo presidency, it could very well land her and those responsible for the mockery of the elections of 2004 and 2007 in jail for life for the crime of electoral sabotage.

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Lacson Cautions Robredo, PNP: Don't Leave Out Bigger Characters in PNP Chopper Acquisitions

2011-07-12T22:05:00.001-07:00

Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson on Wednesday cautioned Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo and the Philippine National Police against leaving out the bigger fish in the lopsided P104.9-million purchase of police helicopters in 2009.

“Though I welcome Secretary Robredo and the PNP hierarchy's prompt action on this irregular transaction, it would have been more prudent that they deferred their actions pending the more extensive Senate inquiry on the matter,” Lacson said.

He said it is very easy and convenient to lay blame and charge former police officials involved in the questionable deal, quickly adding, “But what if there's somebody higher involved?”

Lacson earlier initiated a Senate investigation into the purchase of the choppers and said he has documents indicating the Arroyos may have been among the choppers’ previous users.

He also noted it is common knowledge that the PNP was among the agencies frequently manipulated and used in pseudo-legal and devious undertakings by the previous administration.

In laying the fault squarely on the shoulders of the PNP, Robredo and PNP chief Raul Bacalzo may have provided, albeit unintentionally, an excuse and a list of probable scapegoats to the real proponents and instigators of the spurious transaction.

“For a fact, these former police officials being linked to these mutli-million irregularities will not have the temerity to enter and sign this lopsided contract without the sanction from higher ups,” Lacson said.

On Tuesday, Robredo disclosed former PNP chief Director General Jesus Verzosa and six of his subordinates were "liable" for the P105-million purchase of three overpriced helicopters in 2009.

He said they were "initially found liable" for approving the payment of P104.9 million" for two of the three helicopters found to be second-hand but sold as brand-new.

Robredo also said the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), which supervises the PNP, already has evidence to show otherwise.

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PCSO Funds Also Funneled to 'Run-Gloria-Run' NGO

2011-07-12T19:24:00.000-07:00

As early as 2003, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office had released funds to a non-government organization prodding then President Gloria Arroyo to run in the 2004 presidential election, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson disclosed Wednesday.

Lacson said the “Gawin Natin-Lakas Pinoy” appeared to be very influential with the state gambling agency, getting big amounts that went to “Run, Gloria, Run” materials and posters that sprouted in parts of the country in late 2003.

"Why can 'Gawin Natin Lakas Pinoy' get practically anything from PCSO? The secret is Raul Nestor Ancheta, one of the incorporators. Ancheta is the chief of staff of Rosario Uriarte," he recalled saying in his privilege speech in 2003, when he bared the existence of the Jose Pidal bank accounts where funds were supposedly laundered.

Ancheta was an incorporator of the foundation, while Uriarte was the general manager of PCSO at the time.

Lacson cited a memo from Uriarte requesting for P2 million, to be charged to the PCSO charity fund, for a supposed feeding project of the “Gawin Natin Lakas Pinoy.” The memo had an “OK” note from then President Arroyo.

Also, stamps on the document indicated the request was received by the Office of the President in August 2003, although the feeding project was scheduled in July.

In another instance, the PCSO deployed a medical team including a physician, two nurses, a driver and paramedics to an October 2003 pro-Arroyo motorcade of the Samahan ng Mamamayan Sa Hunta at Destabilisasyon (SMASH-Destabilisasyon) from the People Power Monument in Quezon City to Mendiola.

This was after a request was made to Uriarte by Lakas Pinoy through its lawyer Romarleo Ayson.

The “Gawin Natin Lakas Pinoy” foundation, less than a year old at the time, was behind several "Run, Gloria Run!" posters plastered in many parts of the country.

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To Iggy: Only the Guilty Will Claim Search for Truth vs Corruption a Waste of Time

2011-07-05T17:01:00.000-07:00

Only the guilty would consider searching for the truth about corruption a waste of time, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson said Wednesday.

Lacson brushed off Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio Arroyo Jr.’s claim that reopening the “Jose Pidal” account will be “a shameless and monumental waste of time.”

“The search for truth about corruption and misuse and abuse of public funds will never be a waste of time and resources. Only those who support such shenanigans or are themselves guilty of committing those acts will say so,” Lacson said.

“If going after crooks in government, especially those who take advantage of public funds, is a waste of time, I’d still spend a lifetime pursuing it,” he added.

Earlier, Lacson said he may have evidence disproving the claim of Rep. Arroyo - a brother of former First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo - that he owns the “Jose Pidal” accounts.

Rep. Arroyo is now a colleague of his sister-in-law, former President Gloria Arroyo, in the House of Representatives.

In 2003, Lacson delivered a privilege speech where he linked the then First Gentleman to the “Jose Pidal” bank accounts, which documents showed were used for laundering money.

While the then First Gentleman denied the allegations, now Rep. Arroyo came forward and claimed he was the owner of the bank accounts.

On Tuesday, Rep. Arroyo said in a statement that a Senate probe had been conducted “but no wrongdoing on our part was proven.” “Why should Senator Lacson waste time on another replay? For media mileage,” he was quoted as saying.

But Lacson said “what is truly shameless and monumental is the Arroyos’ reign of manipulation, fraud and deceit.”

“Contrary to Iggy’s claim, there was no closure in the Jose Pidal probe because it was swept under the rug by his persistent invoking of his right to privacy,” he added.

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Arroyos Used Choppers Sold to PNP in 2009

2011-07-04T22:10:00.000-07:00

Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson disclosed Tuesday that he obtained documents indicating that the Arroyos were the former owners of the helicopters “forcibly” sold and priced as brand-new to the Philippine National Police for P105 million in 2009.

Lacson said the sale of the choppers may make the Arroyos - along with all those who took part in the sale - prime candidates for a plunder case as the amount involved exceeded P50 million.

"Initial findings would indicate that the previous and original owners of the pre-owned, yet sold as brand-new light police operational helicopters are the Arroyos. While it's bad enough that the two units were overpriced and therefore grossly disadvantageous to the government, passing them off as brand-new smacks of brazen deceit and utmost bad faith," he said.

Lacson had initiated an investigation into alleged misrepresentations in the P105-million purchase of light operational helicopters by the Philippine National Police's elite Special Action Force (SAF).

He and Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman Teofisto Guingona III filed Senate Resolution 518 to take a closer look at the acquisition of the Light Police Operational Helicopters (LPOHs) from Manila Aerospace Products Trading Corp. (MAPTRA).

On July 9, 2009, the PNP Negotiation Committee recommended the award of the contract to MAPTRA for one Robinson R44 Raven II and two Robinson R44 Raven I helicopters.

But it was later learned that MAPTRA had been engaged in the business only in June 2009. Also, it was learned the supposedly new choppers were “pre-owned” as far back as March 2004.

On the other hand, Lacson said that while the PNP officials involved in the deal were complicit partners, they are the least to blame in this anomalous transaction.

"The First Couple were so powerful at that time that ramming the used helicopters down the throat of the police was easy and effortless. And since the proceeds could exceed the P50-million threshold in a series of acts, those liable are candidate for a plunder case under our existing laws," he said.

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Speech at the PNP Police Community Relations, July 4, 2011

2011-07-04T03:51:00.000-07:00

Thank you for having me for the second time this year. As always, I am honored to be given the podium and share my insights with you.

As I entered the gate of this historic and once hallowed ground, I couldn’t help but remember the years I spent working with three young Philippine Constabulary lieutenants who I had very little doubt in my mind even at that time, would someday be part of a rich law enforcement history. Well, they did and still do. 2LT Jesus Verzosa, 2LT Magtanggol Gatdula and of course, 2LT Raul Bacalzo - sila ‘yung kung tawagin namin nung mga panahon na iyun ay mga TIG - tig operate, tig huli ng mga suspek, tig gawa ng mga spot reports, tig-imbestiga, at tig etchetera, etcetera.

Allow me first to congratulate PNP Chief Raul Bacalzo and the proponents of the PNP-Integrated Transformation Program for successfully enhancing and strengthening police community relations through programs and related actions that entice public input into decision-making processes related to crime solving and peacekeeping efforts.

May you continue to foster and enhance the effective existing programs and support future projects that promote police-community relations.

If I mention every good word to describe Director General Bacalzo, I’m afraid we won’t have enough time for it. I will therefore sum it all up in one short sentence - General, it was indeed a rare privilege to have worked with you once upon a time in my military career.

When I was appointed Chief of the Philippine National Police in November 1999, I inherited an agency that was more feared than respected for lack of integrity and genuine public service. The public had low regard for the institution and its personnel who they generally saw as inept, corrupt and undisciplined. Victims of crimes hesitated to file complaints because they thought it would just be a waste of time - walling katiyakan kung matutulungan man sila o hindi. Subalit ang halos sigurado ay madidilihensiyahan sila ng pang-gasolina, pambili ng bond paper, pang-kape at pang-merienda. Police action was slow and reporting crime was cumbersome. These translated to a low percentage of crime reporting, a clear indication of diminishing public trust and confidence in the police and the criminal justice system.

As I was put in the saddle, I made a strong resolve that come hell or high water I would put premium on social and criminal justice in the eyes of the citizenry. The public needed to know that their police, starting from the chief down to the rank and file, was prepared and able to accept responsibility for the agency and was going to be held accountable for its performance.

I was very much aware at that time that if I were to turn things around, reviving public trust would be my trigger point. To accomplish that, I had to work on a solid foundation. That foundation is INTEGRITY; and the test of integrity is credibility.

To ultimately test one’s credible standing is to see whether he does what he says.

If a man is truthful and upright in public, but renounces those standards in private – he lacks credibility because he has no integrity.

A man who cheats himself once is a thousand times worse than the one who cheats a thousand others.

Integrity means being consistent in one’s behavior under every circumstance including those unguarded and tempting moments - and integrity is foundational to the success of police community relations.

On to my next point: COMMITMENT - the ability to stand firm behind your decisions no matter how difficult they may be. A wise man once said, “There’s a difference between interest and commitment. When you’re interested in doing something, you do it only when circumstances permit. When you’re committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results.”

Furthermore, commitment means saying no to situations where trust is traded as a public commodity. Not everyone is called to public service and when we are, we must wear that badge with honor - Kahit sino pa ang tatamaan at masasaktan, basta tama ang pinaglalaban.

The courage and resoluteness to say no, even to our superiors, when the order given is utterly wrong and unlawful is the real test of COMMITMENT.

Kaugnay nito, nais kong hilingin at hingin ang walang pasubaling kooperasyon at pakikipagtulungan ng pamunuan ng PNP sa mga susunod na araw - sa pagsasagawa namin sa Senado ng mga imbestigasyon na kung hindi man may kaugnayan sa kapulisan ay may kinalaman ang ilang matataas na opisyal ng PNP.

Light Police Operational Helicopters

MVUC - OYSTER 1.4B pesos

Jose Pidal

Last point but certainly not the least: GENUINE CONCERN. This should always guide our actions. No one should aspire for a position of leadership because he wants to have power, influence and money. This can be best exemplified if we consistently refuse to get the usual share of jueteng lagay or payola, the “standard and acceptable” 20% commission on all supply contracts signed and the misuse of PNP funds. In my case when I was chief, the so called P44M-a-year command and commander’s reserve.

Maybe, there are things that can be compromised; but honor is certainly not one of them.

We should be happy and content to be given our daily bread. Again, in my case, in my heart and mind then and now, I will always remain as the son of a jeepney driver and market vendor whose only hope was to be given a fair shot at a comfortable life.

Driven to shake things up and true to my credo – What is right must be kept right; what is wrong must be set right, I therefore took immediate action of overhauling the image of our police officers. My term was characterized by the massive sanctions of the inept, corrupt and undisciplined among our policemen, or what I used to call - ICUs. It was either you shape up or you get shipped out. This was very unpopular among those policemen who came to rely on bus drivers, truck drivers, jeepney drivers, taxi cab drivers, vegetable and fruit dealers and similarly situated small entrepreneurs and other motorists for “kotong”.

Soon enough our efforts yielded desirable results. Our policemen had been purged of corruption. They were disciplined and even became physically fit to serve the people better.

However, no matter how effective our efforts were in crime reduction, I firmly believed that a progressive justice system needs to have the cooperation of private individuals as well. With crimes persistent and organized crime groups entrenched, the police can only do so much. Thus, it is paramount to draw support and cooperation from the citizenry and empower them to take responsibility for safeguarding neighborhoods, and not just rely on the police to fight crimes.

Fighting crimes is everyone’s business. We all have a civic duty to act as the eyes and the ears of the community and the police force as well. We are vital in helping create a safer and more nurturing local environment.

It is not just the policeman’s fight, it is also their fight.

Thus, more than a decade ago, a group of proactive and civic-minded individuals, prominent and successful in their respective fields came up with their own idea of doing their share, no matter how humble and small, in helping the police by enhancing their anti-crime capability. So, they linked up with then Director for Police Community Relations, Victor Batac to form what we now proudly call, the PNP Foundation Inc.

Tapping the resources of the private sector, they solicit monies that up to this point - hanggang magunaw na nag mundo ay mananatiling nariyan at hindi marring galawin ninuman. Only the accrued earnings and interests may be used to buy and donate equipment solely to the Philippine National Police and nobody else. From police motorcycles to fit-out of workshop rooms, seminar room and auditorium, and training facilities like the rehabilitation of the rope obstacle course, from medical equipment including hospital beds, wheelchairs, delivery beds, weighing scales, minor surgery kits and stretchers to visual and IT equipment - there are no restrictions to what the Foundation can give to the PNP except its wherewithal to do so.

In fact today, we will again turn over some modest donations to the PNP.

I couldn’t think of a better way to end my short message this morning than leaving you with a simple quote from Haile Selassie: “Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph.”

May that message leave an impact and hopefully propel us to a better and more meaningful police-community relations.

MARAMING SALAMAT PO! MABUHAY ANG PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE! MABUHAY ANG PILIPINAS!

*****

On President Aquino's First Year in Office

2011-06-30T00:03:00.000-07:00

Considering the enormous problems inherited by President Aquino from Mrs. Arroyo last year, I would be prudent enough to wait for another year to judge him as our country's leader.

In the meantime, I will remain optimistic mainly because he is one leader who is honest and full of integrity, which to me are good enough as foundation to propel the country towards the direction that we all desire.

I would rather congratulate President Aquino for his efforts to rebuild the country from the crumbs - if any - that Mrs. Arroyo and her band of thieves left when they stepped down from power.

o0o

Senate Probe Looms Over Irregularities in Road Users' Tax;

2011-06-29T20:18:00.000-07:00

The Senate is set to investigate alleged irregularities and misuse of the Motor Vehicle Users’ Charge (MVUC), also known as the Road Users Tax under the past administration.

Lacson joined Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman Teofisto Guingona III in filing Senate Resolution 520 to look into the use of P8.547 million from the MVUC to a youth “emergency employment program.”

“These releases appear to be in violation of Republic Act 3019, otherwise known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act because ... all monies collected under RA 8794 should have been earmarked solely and used exclusively for the maintenance and improvement of road drainage, installation of adequate and efficient traffic lights and road safety and air pollution control, and NOT established to address underemployment or drug problems of the youth,” they said in their resolution.

In their resolution, Lacson and Guingona questioned the Metro Manila units of the Department of Public Works and Highways and Philippine National Police entering a Memorandum of Agreement in November 2005.

Under the MOA, the DPWH-NCR transferred to the PNP-NCRPO P8.547 million for the alleged hiring of workers and payment of their salaries under an emergency employment program, the “Out of School Youth Serving Towards Economic Recovery” (OYSTER).

Also, the two noted a Commission on Audit report that liquidated documents submitted by the Philippine National Police to the Department of Public Works and Highways may be considered “defective.”

Worse, the COA report had noted the signatures appearing the payrolls and daily time records have the same strokes, and the signatures at times “appear to have been made by one and the same person.”

Republic Act 8794 requires owners of motor vehicles to pay the MVUC to the Land Transportation Office, with the funds to be used only for road maintenance, and improvement of road drainages, installation of traffic lights and road safety devices and air pollution devices.

“From January 2001 to December 2010, P70.393 billion MVUC collections were deposited (to four special trust accounts for the purpose),” Lacson and Guingona noted.

o0o

Lacson Initiates Probe on P105-M PNP Chopper Purchase

2011-06-29T19:28:00.000-07:00

The Senate is set to look into alleged misrepresentations in the P105-million purchase of light operational helicopters by the Philippine National Police in 2009 for its elite Special Action Force (SAF) unit.

Senator Panfilo M. Lacson and Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman Teofisto Guingona III filed Senate Resolution 518 to take a closer look at the acquisition of the Light Police Operational Helicopters (LPOHs) from Manila Aerospace Products Trading Corp. (MAPTRA).

“By intentionally misrepresenting the helicopters they were selling as brand new and likewise, by intentionally accepting the same as such, both MAPTRA and the PNP may have entered into an anomalous contract which not only gave unwarranted benefits or advantage to a perty but also one which is manifestly and grossly disadvantageous to the government in violation of Section 3 (E) and (G) of Republic Act 3019, otherwise known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act,” they said in their resolution.

The investigation – made on Lacson’s initiative – stemmed from the planned procurement of three LPOHs for the PNP-SAF’s Air Unit.

On May 8, 2009, the PNP Negotiation Committee started talks with MAPTRA for one equipped LPOH and two standard LPOHs for P105 million – already inconsistent with the PNP-SAF’s requirement of three equipped LPOHs.

Following the failure of the negotiation, then SAF head Chief Superintendent Leocadio Santiago Jr. modified the requirements from three equipped LPOHs to one equipped and two standard LPOHs.

On July 9, 2009, the PNP Negotiation Committee recommended the award of the contract to MAPTRA, which it described as a “legally, technically and financially capable” supplier that had been engaged in the business “for so many years.” Then PNP chief Director General Jesus Verzosa approved the supply contract to pay MAPTRA P104.985 million.

Acquired by the PNP were one Robinson R44 Raven II and two Robinson R44 Raven I helicopters.

“(But) contrary to the findings of the Negotiation Committee that MAPTRA has been engaged in the business for so many years, the Securities and Exchange Commission records state that MAPTRA was only given its certificate of incorporation on June 10, 2009,” Lacson and Guingona said.

They also learned that of the three supposedly new choppers, the two R44 Raven I choppers were “pre-owned” as far back as March 2004, as shown by flight logs.

“There is an urgent need to look into this anomaly in order to prevent the PNP from entering into another contract of similar nature and to determine possible violations of RA 3019,” they said.

o0o

Statement on Michael Ray Aquino's Extradition

2011-06-13T02:49:00.000-07:00

It’s been a long time coming. Even ex-Senior Superintendent Aquino must be expecting his return to the country to have his day in court. Being a former superior, I just hope that he will be accorded a fair trial and treatment, giving due consideration to his physical security when his place of detention is determined by the regional trial court handling his case.

He has nothing to link me to the case. Unlike Mancao, I don’t think Aquino will succumb to pressure and promise of a comfortable life to the point of lying heavily just to satisfy the people with ill motives against me.

***

Lacson: I'm Best Argument Against P100-M Pork Yarn for ARMM Poll Postponement

2011-06-09T17:55:00.000-07:00

Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson on Friday hit back at parties claiming senators who voted in favor of postponing the elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao were offered an added P100 million in pork barrel funds.

Lacson, who has rejected his pork barrel allocations since 2002, said he would have been the first to raise a howl had such a pork fund been dangled before senators.

"I am the best argument against insinuations of a P100-million pork dangle for senators who voted in favor of postponing the ARMM election," he said.

He also referred to those who spread such accusations as "crybabies," since they cannot accept the outcome of the proceedings in the Senate.

"The accusation being spread by the 'crybabies' who cannot accept the democratic vote in the Senate to postpone the ARMM elections is nothing but a canard," he said.

Lacson had rejected his pork barrel allocation, after seeing the temptation to use the pork barrel funds for graft.

By making sure his yearly "allocation" is stricken off the General Appropriations Act and returned to the National Treasury, Lacson has saved the government at least P1.8 billion in funds.

In the vote for the ARMM postponement bill, Lacson maintained the senators who voted for the postponement of the elections acted not on the basis of a pork offer, but on their appreciation of the points raised during debates on the issue.

On Monday night, the Senate voted 13-7 to approve a measure postponing elections in the ARMM, and synchronizing them with the elections in May 2013.

The ARMM elections were originally scheduled for August 8 this year.

***

Sponsorship Speech on Senate Bill 2869

2011-06-08T05:47:00.000-07:00

SB 2869: Act Prescribing Fixed Terms for the Chief of Staff and the Major Service Commanders of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and for Other Purposes

June 8, 2011

Mr. President,

It is my honor and privilege to sponsor for Senate consideration Senate Bill No. 2869 under Committee Report No. 50 entitled “An Act Prescribing Fixed Terms for the Chief of Staff and the Major Service Commanders of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and for Other Purposes.” This bill is filed in substitution of Senate Bill No. 20 filed by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, and Senate Bill No. 2285 filed by Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

The call for reforms in the military service has always been part of the agenda of any administration and the topic of numerous bills here in Congress. It is undeniable that every country must place a premium on national security, and peace and order. Unfortunately, the road towards effective reforms is being hampered by the frequent change in the leadership of the Armed Forces or what is commonly referred to as the revolving door policy.

Senate Bill No. 2869 aims to give due recognition to the significance of the positions of the AFP Chief of Staff and the major service commanders by guaranteeing the stability and continuity of their service at the helm of the armed forces. Essentially, the objectives of this bill are as follows:

1. To prevent the trivialization of the position of the Chief of Staff and of the major service commanders thereby preserving the integrity of their offices;

2. To provide stability to the leadership of the Armed Forces of the Philippines by fixing the duration of the term of corps leadership so as to ensure continuity and consistency in the formulation and implementation of policies and programs; and

3. To prevent the politicization of the above-mentioned positions.

Under this bill, the Chief of Staff shall be given a fixed term of three (3) years. History has taught us that due to the limitations brought by the statute on mandatory retirement, there had been instances in the past when the appointed chief of staff only served for a few months or at most a year before he is forced to retire. Indeed, such a short period of service is not enough for one official to learn the ropes, more so, to effect meaningful changes in the Armed Forces. In fact, during our committee hearing, we learned that the first year of service is usually for purposes of familiarization while the time for reforms begins only during the second or third year in the office.

Mr. President and colleagues in the Senate, the instability created by such a situation only serves to derail the modernization efforts in the military service. And this is precisely the problem sought to be resolved by this proposed measure.

Senate Bill No. 2869 provides that when the officer appointed as Chief of Staff reaches the compulsory retirement age before the end of the three-year term, the statutory compulsory retirement of the chief of staff shall be deferred until the completion of the prescribed term. This is of course, without prejudice to the power of the president as Commander-in-Chief to remove the said officer from office for loss of confidence at any time before the end of the prescribed three-year term.

In the same vein, the positions of the major service commanders also require a modicum of stability and continuity so as to afford these officials sufficient time to craft their program of action as well as oversee its implementation. It is for this reason that this proposed measure grants them a minimum term of two (2) years. However, giving due consideration to the restrictions embodied in our constitution, the bill also provides a limitation on the appointment of these officials such that officers who can be appointed as a major service commander must have at least two (2) years remaining in active service.

With stability and continuity ingrained within the Armed Forces of the Philippines, its core leadership will once again obtain the integrity that their positions duly deserve. More importantly, having an Armed Forces that is characterized not just by bravery and patriotism but also by integrity, stability, and continuity in its leadership, will enable the AFO to fulfill its mandate of protecting the people and in preserving national security.

Given the controversies plaguing the Armed Forces of the Philippines, there is no question that reforms are badly needed in order to restore the AFP to its former glory and honor. Senate Bill No. 2869 is a step towards this direction.

Your honors, this is the third time that a member of this chamber will sponsor this measure for the approval of the body. The bills prescribing a fixed term for the AFP Chief of Staff and the major service commanders had long been debated upon in our halls but for some reason, time ran out on the passage of this measure. It is this representation’s hope that with the support of my fellow senators, time and fate will be on our side so that we can finally see this bill enacted into a law.

Thank you.

*****

Lacson Files Filial Responsibility Bill to Ensure Parents' Welfare

2011-05-21T21:59:00.000-07:00

Noting that parents who protected, raised and enabled their children may need assistance when they grow old, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson has filed a bill mandating children to show filial responsibility at their time of need.

In filing Senate Bill 2819, Lacson lamented that despite Filipinos' close family ties, some still abandon their elderly, sick and incapacitated parents to fend for themselves.

"We Filipinos are well-known for our close family ties. Because of these close family ties, we have the usual inclination to care for our elderly. However, even with this close family ties, there are elderly, sick and incapacitated parents who were abandoned by their children. The sights of abandoned elderly in our streets are now common. Children fail to provide the necessary support to their aging, sick and incapacitated parents. This happens despite our moral and natural obligation to maintain our parents who are in need of support," he said.

"This proposed bill therefore seeks to further strengthen filial responsibility and makes it a criminal offense in case of flagrant violation thereof," he added.

He added his bill aims to complement the Family Code, which imposes on Filipinos a legal obligation to support the elderly.

Lacson said that while the government is doing its best in providing support in the form of food and shelter as well as enacting legislations like the Senior Citizens Act, taking care of the elderly members of society is a shared responsibility of government and the children of the elderly.

Under Lacson's bill, abandonment of a parent in need of support shall likewise constitute a criminal act.

A parent who is in need of support may file a petition for support before the court and pray for the issuance of a support order against those children who failed or refused to provide the necessary support.

Legal representation of the parent in need of support will be provided by the Public Attorney’s Office and no court fees will be assessed.

The bill also seeks to establish an Old Age Home for the elderly, sick or otherwise incapacitated parents in every province and highly urbanized cities.

Lacson noted the rules requiring children to support their parents have existed for thousands of years.

The bill also calls for a support order to compel children to provide the necessary support to their parent.

Such an order shall include the name of the children required to give support, the amount necessary for the support of their parent and the share of each of the children.

The death of one of the children of the parent in need of support will not affect the liability of others.

But if the court determines after due notice and hearing that the parent in need of support abandoned, abused or neglected the respondent, it may dismiss the petition or may reduce the quantum of support ordered by such amount as may be just.

A respondent who continues to fail in giving support for three consecutive months without justifiable cause, faces imprisonment of one to six months or a fine of P100,000.

One who abandons a parent in any place shall be punished with imprisonment of six to 10 years and a fine of at least P300,000.

o0o

Bill Seeks to Protect Victims of False Testimony, Discourage Manufacturing of Witnesses

2011-05-13T13:16:00.001-07:00

Lamenting that the use of lying witnesses has made a mockery of the courts and sent many innocent people to jail for crimes they did not commit, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson has filed a bill recommending heavier penalties on false witnesses and on public officials who encourage them to do so.

Senate Bill 2803 seeks to impose a P1-million fine on such false witnesses, while government officials or prosecutors who induced their false testimony face perpetual absolute disqualification from holding any appointive or elective position in the government or its agencies or entities.

“The assertion of falsehood, under oath of affirmation, is becoming prevalent. False testimonies and sworn statements are sometimes being used to support malicious complaints with the intent of harassing and persecuting innocent persons. This pernicious practice is aimed not only to harass innocent persons but put them behind bars and make their families suffer,” Lacson said.

“It is noteworthy that because of these untruthful and inconsistent statements, we have witnessed how some men were robbed of their youth and freedom for a long period of time only to be freed later on account that the reason for their incarceration was based on a ‘polluted source,’” he added.

He pointed out that since the testimony of a witness – especially an eyewitness – is crucial, it is a fundamental rule that sworn testimonies be honest and should not leave any room for inconsistency and untruthfulness.

Yet, he lamented there are times the sacredness of statements made before the courts and that of sworn affidavits are being disregarded.

Worse, he said some public prosecutors, instead of making sure that justice is done, suppress facts and conceal witnesses capable of establishing the innocence of the accused.

Sometimes they even offer false testimonies and perjured witnesses to support their unfounded charges, he said.

“The prevalence of untruthful testimonies and statements may not be possible if only public officials and employees are responsible enough and in their vigilance in their quest for the truth, should uphold the rule of law and not their thirst for victory at the expense of another. However, it is distressing that sometimes it is the public officials and employees themselves who encourage, induce or even force a person to assert falsehood under oath,” he said.

The bill seeks to amend Articles 180, 183 and 184 of the Revised Penal Code, where the false witness who knowingly offers false testimony as evidence will be subjected to the same penalty the defendant is being accused of, and be slapped a fine of up to P1 million.

“If the person who will induce or order the commission of this felony is a public officer or employee, the penalty shall be imposed in its maximum period,” Lacson said in his bill.

As for the government official or prosecutor behind such false testimony, he or she shall also suffer “perpetual absolute disqualification from holding any appointive or elective position in the government or in any agency, entity or instrumentality thereof.”

***

Responsible Parenthood Sensible Approach in Poverty Alleviation

2011-04-18T19:50:00.000-07:00

Saying responsible parenthood is a sensible approach in poverty alleviation, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson on Tuesday threw his support behind President Benigno Aquino III in pushing the passage of the Responsible Parenthood (RP) bill.

Lacson said Mr. Aquino is on the right track in pushing population management to curb the perennial problem of poverty.

“Finding ways to curb our monstrous population growth rate, which has been a major part of our poverty problem, is one sensible approach in poverty alleviation. Advocating population management is not being anti-life. In fact, it is pro-country and pro-people,” Lacson said.

But he stressed this is no pitch for abortion, which he said is a crime and has no place in the definition of responsible parenthood.

“Any form of abortion should be condemned and punished. That much is clear,” he said.

On Sunday, Mr. Aquino told graduates of the University of the Philippines he is willing to risk excommunication from the Catholic Church to push the RP bill.

The RP bill has encountered opposition from the Catholic Church for allowing artificial contraception as part of population management. The Church favors only natural family planning.

In the 14th Congress, Lacson filed Senate Bill 43, which encourages reproductive health and population management, yet rejects abortion and considers it a grave criminal offense.

He chided some sectors for claiming such legislation – which include a systematic information campaign, support systems and incentives – is anti-life.

Lacson also maintained population management is urgent now as most poor Filipinos do not have enough food or access to basic services.

“There is not enough food on the table, many are homeless, the poor have almost zero opportunity to have access to education, health care and the most basic social services, which they can otherwise enjoy with an efficient but moral population management program,” he said.

Lacson’s Senate Bill 43 seeks to create a reproductive health and population management council to implement an integrated policy on reproductive health.

The bill contains provisions for timely, complete and accurate information and education on reproductive health, and access to safe, adequate and affordable reproductive health care services – all as a preventive measure against abortion.

It promotes a population management program that aims to encourage the limitation of the number of children to an affordable level of two children per family; discourage migration to urban centers and decongesting thickly populated areas; promote effective partnership among the national government, local government units and the private sector on population management; and conduct studies on and provide incentives for the deceleration of population growth.

Yet it continues to ban abortion, which is a crime under the Revised Penal Code.

***

Speech at Turnover of Equipment from PNP Foundation Inc. to PNP Crime Laboratory

2011-04-17T14:14:00.001-07:00

For the very first time, since 2001, I feel a sense of belonging to an institution I once served with pride, dignity and honor. For the first time in 10 years I feel the respect accorded to a former chief of the PNP. For nine long years under the previous administration I felt like a viral burden. A bacterium if you will, so hazardous to the careers of police officers that they had to avoid me like a ... plague. In many instances I myself refused even eye contact with my former officers, mindful that their careers and assignments would very well be put at risk.
The ... opportunists in the police ranks saw a gold mine indeed. They invented crafty intelligence reports from the most bizarre to the most ludicrous. Even fabricated evidence and joined the rat race, hoping to reap the reward from their commander-in-chief who hated me so much that she was willing to dangle the carrot of promotion and juicy assignments to whoever could put me behind bars or put me away for good. A good consolation prize awaited those who would at least make my life miserable.
I remember a former head of this very office who knowingly certified an erroneous handwriting specimen analysis of the once infamous fictitious character named Jose Pidal. That single act immediately landed him a police regional director assignment in a jueteng-rich region further south of Metro Manila, and a star promotion.
That’s the politics of life. Sometimes, crime pays. Well, temporarily, I suppose.
Somebody said, there are only two kinds of friends in this world. The envious and the jealous drop out on your way up. The opportunistic ones drop out on your way down. In my own personal experience I found out there is a rare third kind: those who will stand by you through thick and thin, come hell or high water.
So much for that. I am here in my capacity as chairman of the PNP Foundation Inc. to lead the turnover of some modest equipment, donations to the PNP Crime Laboratory Service. The PNP Foundation Inc. is the brainchild of some civic-minded individuals who wanted to show appreciation to the PNP after they saw and felt some positive changes in the attitude and character of our police officers, be it behind their desks or out in the streets: when kotong became a thing of the past, when police officers stopped using recovered stolen motor vehicles, when our waistlines no longer exceeded 34 inches, when corruption in the procurement of our equipage was nil, and so forth and so on. So they formed a foundation to be funded by donations from the private sector, its monies held in perpetuity with only the time interests and earnings to be disbursed to purchase equipment or donation as what we have just turned over this morning.
Out of more than P336 million in pledges in the year 2000, more than half was actually turned over to the Foundation, to be held in perpetuity. The amount has remained intact, since then, as provided for in the Foundation’s charter. To date, out of the revenues generated from the initial seed money, the Foundation has donated a total amount of over P41 million in equipment and other items solely to the PNP being its only client beneficiary. Future donations are on stream such as an auditorium and seminar rooms of the PNP Training School in the amount of P2.5 million; the rehabilitation of the PNP SAF obstacle course in Fort Santo Domingo, with a budget of P1 million, to name a few.
Modesty aside, and with the permission of the members of the board, most of whom are pioneers of this Foundation, I would like to state here and now that this was my own version of pabaon when I left the PNP in January of 2001.
Anyway, I am happy to take note of the fact that under the present leadership of Director General Raul Bacalzo and his command group, there are indeed serious and honest efforts to institutionalize reforms that we initiated over a decade ago, taking a cue from the reform-oriented administration of President Noynoy Aquino, I can only hope that the coming chiefs will carry on what Director General Bacalzo is now undertaking.
The future comes one day at a time. And the future of the PNP largely depends on its leadership. A flawed and morally weak leadership is the last thing that the police organization needs. From an outsider looking in, I can rest easy with the thought that under a decent and professional leader like Police Director General Bacalzo, the PNP which no one member loves more than the other is in good hands. Mabuhay ang PNP. Maraming salamat po.

***

Statement at Press Conference

2011-03-28T03:51:00.001-07:00

For 13 months, I was a fugitive from injustice. I have been subjected to the vitriol of arrogance and hatred by my old and new detractors. I have been humiliated, unfairly eviscerated of my dignity and personal honor, even as I am humbled by an experience so surreal I never imagined could happen.

Every single day that I was underground, the crucible stared each time I opened my eyes. For 13 months I lived the life of a prisoner outside a prison cell. The only difference from one who suffers in confinement is that I could on my own free will navigate my movements using the best of my instinctive compass. I had only one rule to follow. Do not get caught.

Since childhood, I have struggled in life. But the last struggle I had for the past year was the most challenging. The worst pain of all is that I didn’t know who my true and real friends were. I still thank God I found a few of them.

Every crime demands justice. But justice means truth and action. Without action to bring out the truth, justice will never be served. With 30 long years of law enforcement experience behind me I dedicated myself in helping tens of thousands of victims of crimes without fear or favor. I risked my life hundreds of times rescuing kidnap-for-ransom victims, battling criminal troops, busting crime syndicates and disciplining the rogues in our country’s police force for various offenses ranging from carnaping to kotong, even jueteng protection fully aware I was creating bitter enemies out of armed and trained malefactors.

My point is, I am all heart and soul with families of victims of crimes seeking justice for their loved ones. But I am also all out against the hecklers and their cheerleaders who want to make me their cannon fodder by strutting their stuff for reasons they themselves may not even understand, or maybe the sheer satisfaction of boosting their ego. Maybe it’s for popularity. Or worse, for selfish and personal reasons, all at my expense.

The unvarnished truth is I was made to suffer for a crime I did not commit. Two former SOJ drove me to become a fugitive from justice. It was made inevitable the moment I was informed by DOJ contacts that prosecutors were allowed to shred the rules on evidence in favor of satisfying a last-ditch effort of an unelected and corrupt regime of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, to put me away for long good years of my life.

On a personal note there were frequent moments I felt the persecution had never stopped even after a new administration took over the reins of power. All I was asking for is a fair share of justice. Correct its miscarriage and trim the excesses of the past regime. True, evading arrest may be legally difficult to justify if not hardly defensible. True, going underground is politically incorrect. And I must admit I was constantly balancing the bigger picture with the issues of the moment. But at the end of my daily debate with my own wits I decided not to place myself under the jurisdiction of a court whose judicial determination of probable cause and subsequent issuance of a warrant of arrest I was questioning before a higher court of the land. Rightly or wrongly I thought it was the sensible thing to do, given the prevailing circumstances. Arguably facing trial is not the be-all and end-all of settling and resolving this legal issue. Well-established jurisprudence and legal precedents allow the filing of pleadings and motions even in the absence of an accused petitioner. Thank you and good morning.

*****

CA Decisions on Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson's case (PDF format)

2011-03-21T20:25:00.000-07:00

The Court of Appeals' decision and resolution on Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson's case can be accessed here. Please click on the links to download. The files are in PDF format. Thank you.

Statement

2011-02-05T14:36:00.000-08:00

Secretary Leila de Lima should stop using brute reason in interpreting the Court of Appeals ruling dismissing the case against me which she claimed she has not even read.

Let me remind her that in a civil and common law system like ours, the hierarchy of courts places the Supreme Court at the highest level and is therefore the sole authority to reverse the court of appeals in its ruling and decision - not any of the lower courts of the land and certainly not the Secretary of Justice.

The appellate court has ruled that there is no probable cause to indict me for two counts of murder and categorically nullified the warrant of arrest that the Manila RTC Branch 18 issued against me. De Lima cannot place herself above any court of law. Otherwise, the justice system becomes defective and worse, will self-destruct.

While I submit that the case dismissal is not yet final, as it may still be reconsidered by the same Court of Appeals division or can be reversed by the Supreme Court following proper legal rules and procedures, the same ruling clearly nullified the warrant of arrest which de

Lima wants to defy by ordering to continue the manhunt.

I and my family have suffered long enough for a crime I did not commit. I appeal to her not to confuse the public with her flawed and ill-advised legal opinion. It is hitting below the intellect but is inflicting the damage that some of her prosecutors have intended to achieve to cover up for their malicious prosecution.

***

Press Statement by Sen. Lacson's Lawyers

2011-02-05T00:14:00.000-08:00

The counsel for Senator Panfilo M. Lacson today cautioned the Department of Justice and law enforcement agencies from implementing the warrant of arrest that was nullified and set aside by the Court of Appeals last Thursday.

“If he decides to come out and they arrest him on the basis of the warrant that has already been set aside, we will file cases against the authorities and the DOJ, if they instructed to do so, for arbitrary detention or illegal arrest,” said lawyer Alexander Poblador.

Under the Constitution, he said the general rule is that a person is entitled to personal liberty at all times except if there is an outstanding arrest warrant against him.

“Since the arrest warrants have been nullified, there is no more basis to deprive him of his liberty. A person is entitled to immediate liberty, particularly considering that he is presumed innocent until the contrary is proved, and not until the appeal or motion for consideration is over,” Poblador said.

Citing Rule 39, Section 4 of the Rules of Court, Poblador said judgments in actions for injunction “shall be enforceable after their rendition and shall not be stayed by an appeal taken there from.”

Also, Poblador said Rule 117, Section 5 of the same rules provides that the quashing of the information is immediately executory unless there is an order to file new information. “In the case of Senator Lacson, there is none,” he added.

The rules clearly provide that if the accused is in custody, he “shall be discharged.” It necessarily follows that if the accused is not yet in custody, he shall no longer be put in custody, considering that no less than the Court of Appeals quashed or dismissed the information against Senator Lacson, Poblador said.

He described the nullification of the arrest warrants as an “interlocutory” order which jurisprudence defines as an order not instantly appealable and therefore cannot be suspended or interrupted by a motion for consideration.

Further quoting jurisprudence, Poblador said “it is even well settled that a special civil action for certiorari does not suspend the immediate enforceability of an interlocutory order absent a temporary restraining order or an injunction.”

He further explained that arrest warrants are obviously mere ancillary to the main criminal case and are therefore deemed automatically lifted when the criminal cases against Senator Lacson were dismissed.

“Therefore, the nullification of the arrest warrant is immediately executory,” he said.

Poblador said although the other parties may still file a petition for review with the Supreme Court, the pendency of such petition cannot stay the execution of the judgment which is the subject thereof, in the absence of any preliminary injunction issued by the Supreme Court.

This is precisely why Rule 45, Section 1 provides that a petition for review “may include an application for a writ of preliminary injunction.” Note that there is no assurance that the Supreme Court will even entertain or give due course to a petition for review, as its power of review is “not a matter of right, but of sound judicial discretion,” he said.

***

Press Statement

2010-12-23T21:20:00.000-08:00

The denial by the Honorable Regional Trial Court Judge Thelma Bunyi-Medina of my motion for reconsideration of a previous denial of my motion for reinvestigation out of “prudence” and deference to the Court of Appeals ruling on my pending petition for certiorari assailing the finding of probable cause and the subsequent issuance of the warrant of arrest against me may not be prudent after all. Nevertheless, I respect that order.

As to State Prosecutor Peter Ong and Secretary of Justice De Lima, gloating as they did after learning of the said order from the RTC, it is becoming clear that they are only after “winning their case” against me, even at the expense of justice itself.

They may have simply forgotten that “they are the representatives not of an ordinary party to a controversy, but a sovereignty whose obligation to govern impartially is as compelling as its obligation to govern at all; and whose interests, therefore, in a criminal prosecution is not that it shall win every case but that justice be done.” (Dimatulac vs. Villon, 297 SCRA 679).

To set the record straight, I have never asked the DOJ to unilaterally conduct a reinvestigation. Rather, I have likewise maintained that the court has the final say if such move shall be granted. What I simply asked was for DOJ to join and not oppose us in asking the court to have the matter reinvestigated taking into consideration new and compelling evidence, the latest of which was Mancao’s own admission that he “only learned of the sordid affair ex post facto” thus, a tacit admission that he fabricated his earlier testimony that he overheard me order another subordinate officer to commit the murders which served as the sole basis for the finding of probable cause against me. Obviously, DOJ did not heed our request.

I maintain that I am a victim of persecution because of my strong advocacy against graft and corruption during the past administration. It is very unfortunate that the present Department of Justice and its prosecutors have become and continue to be tools for my persecution.

***

Press Statement by Sen. Lacson's Lawyers

2010-12-02T20:05:00.000-08:00

It is unfortunate that Sec de Lima is being misled regarding the facts of the case.

Contrary to her claims:

1) We have no pending second motion for reinvestigation but simply an MR on the denial of our motion for reinvestigation. Precisely, under the rules, we submitted newly discovered evidence to justify the filing of such MR and to justify reinvestigation.

2) We have no pending petition with the Court of Appeals questioning the motion for reinvestigation previously denied by the RTC Branch 18. We could not have done so since our MR is still pending before the lower court. What we filed with the appellate court is a petition for certiorari with application for TRO and preliminary injunction questioning the judicial determination of probable cause ruling by the lower court.

3) We are not asking the DOJ to preempt the trial court on the reinvestigation. We are asking the DOJ to withdraw its opposition to the reinvestigation and join our efforts to persuade the trial court to direct the conduct of the reinvestigation, and to lift the warrants of arrest in the meantime.

We still hope that Sec. De Lima meant it when she recently declared that she has the “plenary power” to conduct a reinvestigation under certain conditions. She should not simply listen to the advice of the prosecutors who appear bent on defending at all costs the wrongful actions they had taken against Senator Lacson. Lacson has gone on record to say that the cases against him were filed in blind obedience to the instructions of former DOJ Secretaries, to put him away because of his relentless efforts to fight corruption under the previous administration.

***

Press Release by Sen. Lacson's Lawyers

2010-12-02T20:03:00.000-08:00

Citing additional evidence, the camp of Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson urged Justice Secretary Leila de Lima anew to take a closer look at claims linking the senator to the Dacer-Corbito case.

Lacson's lawyers said the new evidence included the Aug. 2, 2010 affidavit of former SPO4 Reynaldo Oximoso Jr. and the Aug. 9, 2010 affidavit of former Senior Superintendent Michael Ray Aquino.

In their five-page letter, lawyers Alexander Poblador and Joseph Joemer Perez said they were forced to write de Lima because of former police colonel Cezar Mancao II's request to demand that former police colonel Glenn Dumlao act as a state witness in the case or have charges against him re-filed.

They disputed Mancao's insinuation that Dumlao's exoneration of Lacson was a turnaround from his previous testimony allegedly implicating Lacson, and that this exoneration was contrary to the terms of Dumlao's exclusion from charges.

"We are constrained to write to you directly to set the record straight and refute Mancao's allegations, which are obviously targeted not only at Dumlao but also at our client. The truth is that while Dumlao has implicated others, he has never implicated Sen. Lacson in the Dacer-Corbito case," they said, adding nowhere in Dumlao's affidavits contained any statement implicating Lacson in the Dacer-Corbito case.

Thus, they said Dumlao's Jan. 28, 2010 statement that Lacson had nothing to do with the case was not a reversal of his previous statements.

Moreover, Lacson's lawyers said the affidavits of Oximoso and Aquino support Dumlao's exoneration of Lacson.

They contradict Mancao's Feb. 13, 2009 affidavit that he overheard Lacson and Michael Ray Aquino discussing an "Operation Delta" to "neutralize or liquidate" Dacer.

While Mancao claimed those in the car included himself, Lacson, Aquino and Lacson's then driver Reynaldo Oximoso Jr., Aquino and Oximoso declared under oath that no such conversation inside a car ever took place.

These new affidavits as well as Dumlao's Aug. 2, 2010 affidavit are important pieces of exculpatory evidence that demolish whatever credibility of Mancao's allegation has with regard to the alleged conversation inside the car.

At the very least, they said these establish that Mancao's allegation cannot be corroborated and his plea to be discharged as a state witness will have to be denied.

"What is more, these new exculpatory evidence warrant, at the very least, a reinvestigation of the case. We have in fact requested the (Regional Trial Court) of Manila, Branch 18, to order a reinvestigation of the case based on these new evidence ... As we have told the court, there is a compelling need to conduct a reinvestigation so that these new evidence can be properly considered at the soonest possible time, instead of waiting for the trial proper," they said.

"The crime charged in this case is a non-bailable offense, in which the accused stands to be arrested and incarcerated without bail. It would be unjust to require the accused to languish in jail waiting for his turn to present evidence to indict him or to order his arrest. After all, the purpose of preliminary investigation is 'to relieve the accused from the pain of going through a trial once it is ascertained that the evidence is insufficient to sustain a prima facie case or that no probable cause exists to form a sufficient belief as to the guilt of the accused,'" they said.

"It is our hope that the DOJ will take a second look at the significance of these new evidence and accordingly withdraw its objection to the said pending Motion for Reconsideration," they added.

***

In Defense of Our Family’s Honor

2010-12-02T19:55:00.000-08:00

[A Statement from the Family of Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson]

In every Filipino family, two things are most treasured: honor and home.

Our brother, Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson is accused of masterminding the murder of Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and his driver. The principal evidence against him that the previous administration’s DOJ investigating panel and the court considered “probable cause” was an affidavit by a lone witness, Cesar Mancao. In that affidavit, Mancao narrated a supposed conversation inside a car between Ping and Michael Ray Aquino wherein Ping allegedly ordered Aquino to have Dacer murdered. He claimed to have overheard the conversation while seated at the front seat of the car next to Ping’s driver, Reynaldo Oximoso, while Ping and Aquino were at the backseat.

To establish “probable cause”, the investigators and the judge must find the evidence credible. It must lead a reasonable person to believe that the person being accused committed a crime.

We believe that a careful consideration of the following facts will lead reasonable person to a conclusion that Mancao’s allegation in his affidavit was a fabrication and an absolute lie:

1. Oximoso denied in a sworn affidavit submitted to the court that such conversation or car ride ever happened. He explained that during the whole period that he served as Ping’s security aide-driver, the front seat was always reserved for the Aide de Camp. Therefore, Mancao’s claim that he occupied the front seat is not true. Oximoso also said that there was never a time that Ping, Aquino and Mancao rode together in a car during that period. Likewise, Aquino, in a sworn affidavit subscribed before a Philippine consul in the United States, having been in the same car as Ping and Mancao during the time that he was serving as PAOCTF Operations Division Chief, or having any conversation with Ping regarding any order or plan to liquidate or eliminate Dacer. He categorically denied ever receiving any order from Senator Lacson to liquidate any person, including a certain “Bero” or “Delta.”

2. Mancao unwittingly proved his own affidavit to be a fabrication and a lie. His sworn affidavit indicated that the alleged car conversation took place “sometime in October, 2000”. He clarified in a hearing for his petition to become a state witness that the car conversation took place “sometime in September, 2000 or early October, 2000”. He clarified that he could remember it very well because it happened during the time that then Pres. Estrada was out of the country. He made such clarification spontaneously upon direct examination conducted by DOJ prosecutor Hazel Valdez. He did so, however, oblivious to the fact as sworn to by Sen. Mar Roxas and Usec. Mike Toledo that at the time President Estrada was abroad and hence when the car conversation supposedly happened, Ping was with President Estrada, Usec. Toledo and Senator Mar Roxas on an official visit to the United States. Incidentally, DOJ prosecutor Hazel Valdez was part of the DOJ panel that drafted Mancao’s February 14, 2009 affidavit while both were in the U.S. Thereafter, Mancao was sworn to his affidavit on a weekend in his U.S. detention cell by the Philippine consul on a weekend, accompanied by DOJ Prosecutor Valdez.

3. That Mancao’s affidavit was a fabrication is further bolstered by the fact that several months prior to its signing, Mancao who was in the United States at the time, was interviewed over radio station DZMM and over Channel 7. He freely talked about being contacted by Gen. Romeo Prestoza, then presidential security chief in Malacanang. He narrated in both interviews that Prestoza wanted him to implicate Ping in the Dacer murder case and in exchange, he would be discharged as accused and he would be relocated with his family to Singapore, all expense paid. Is it a far-fetched conclusion that when threatened with extradition and being charged in this murder case; Mancao chose the easy way out by agreeing to become a state “witness”?

4. Even assuming, for the sake of argument, that the car conversation actually happened, Mancao admitted in a court hearing that he being seated at the front seat of the car with Ping and Aquino at the back seat, he was not at all certain what he actually heard.

5. On top of this is the testimony of Glenn Dumlao, who executed several affidavits attesting to Ping’s innocence of the crime. In one of his affidavits, he narrated how officials of the previous administration tortured him physically, mentally and emotionally so that he would implicate Ping, but he held on to the truth.

In spite of very weak evidence to support its case, the previous DOJ filed the complaint. The court issued a warrant for Ping’s arrest during the closing stage of the previous administration whose corrupt ways he exposed in many privilege speeches.

In an effort to strengthen a very weak case against Ping, the previous DOJ even cited a letter from Dacer to Estrada maligning Ping without submitting any proof that Ping knew about that letter. Another frequently told story is that Dacer allegedly told his daughters that if something happened to him, Ping was to blame. If these allegations proved anything, it is the fact that the case filed against Ping extremely suffers from lack of evidence to establish probable cause.

In our last Christmas together, Ping already told us of frantic moves of the previous administration to have an arrest warrant against him. He told us to take comfort in the fact that he had nothing to do with that crime.

Before the warrant for his arrest came out, Ping decided to become inaccessible. That was his personal decision. We understand that it had nothing to do with guilt or cowardice. He had enough information to base it on. For one, he knew then that the RTC judge was an applicant for promotion to the Court of Appeals. An evil trap was set by a perceived corrupt administration and it was about to be sprung on him.

Subsequent events validated his belief. On Friday, February 5, 2010, the RTC judge issued a warrant of arrest against him. On Monday, February 8, 2010 the Judicial and Bar Council recommended the judge to President Arroyo and she was promoted to the Court of Appeals one month later.

Ping became unreachable to avoid being a victim of an evil conspiracy to put him away because of his anti-graft and corruption crusade. Self-preservation is a natural human instinct. He did not regard letting evil triumph as an act of decency.

A person is presumed innocent until proven guilty. But with a non-bailable crime like murder, the reality is that punishment comes before conviction. The accused suffers in jail while a court trial is ongoing to prove his guilt or innocence. Our Constitution says that the right to bail can be denied when the evidence of guilt is strong. In the case filed against Ping, the evidence is not only weak; it is fabricated. Just one affidavit with a conflicting story by a witness of doubtful credibility against multiple exonerating affidavits and statements, including two previously made by the accusing witness (Mancao) is why we say it is.

Therefore, we are extremely puzzled why DOJ Secretary Delima continues to ignore calls for a reinvestigation of this case. According to the DOJ secretary’s interviews, she is waiting for additional evidence to start such a reinvestigation. If the foregoing facts are not enough, we do not know what else would justify a reinvestigation. We can only guess that public prosecutors at the DOJ who had a hand in filing this case are giving her the wrong counsel.

1. Setting legal technicalities and prejudgment aside, is it not common sense to give more weight to the testimony of three people against the uncorroborated account of one “witness”? That lone witness even admitted in court that he was not at all certain about what he heard. He freely said in two separate interviews with media months before that he was being enticed by the previous administration to implicate the senator in exchange for a comfortable life. Out of four alleged passengers in the car where the “incriminating” conversation supposedly happened, three have sworn that it never happened. Why give so much weight to Mancao’s affidavit and disregard Dumlao’s affidavit which contains vivid details of how he was tortured and threatened so that he would implicate Ping in the murder case?

2. Again, for the sake of argument and assuming that Mancao’s story is true, the invented conversation in the car referred to a certain “Bigote” as the mastermind for killing Dacer. Rather than trying to determine the true identity of “Bigote”, why did the previous DOJ instead charge Ping as mastermind? Is this not a tell-tale sign of a concerted effort to put him in jail?

3. Finally, is the physical impossibility of Ping who was travelling in the U.S. to be riding in a car to Greenhills with Mancao and Aquino not enough to deem Mancao’s affidavit as nothing but imaginary trash?

4. The most compelling proof that Mancao’s affidavit is a pure fabrication comes from Mancao himself. In a statement filed by his lawyer with the court, he declared that “he only learned of the sordid affair ex post facto” (after the fact). He is in reality being consistent with the affidavit that Dumlao testified to: Mancao knew nothing about the alleged plan to commit the crime and Mancao repeatedly admitted such innocence in several talks in the U.S. with Dumlao.

Being robbed of something valuable causes us pain and anguish. But when that “something” is our personal or family’s honor, it causes terrible pain and extreme anguish. Our brother may not be in jail right now, but we can feel his suffering. Mental and emotional suffering is worse than physical pain. Being away from home and from loved ones is one of the worst situations to be in. Our wish is for our brother to spend a quiet Christmas dinner with us, like what most Filipinos do, at home.

A friend sent this message: “From dark clouds, we get precious water. From dark mines, we get valuable jewels. And from our darkest trials come our best blessings from God.” This we believe in. We believe that justice and truth will ultimately prevail in God’s own time. Until then, we would like to express our gratitude to those who understand and sympathize with us.

THE FAMILY OF PING LACSON

(Sgd)

Romulo Lacson

Feliciano Lacson

Reynaldo Lacson

Juanito Lacson

Ma. Corazon Lacson-Magpayo

Ernani Lacson

Ma. Cristina Lacson-Diaz

Press Statement

2010-12-01T16:27:00.000-08:00

Don’t look for me. Look at the evidence. It’s right under your nose. It won’t cost you two centavos to fulfill your duty to provide justice to all concerned.

I will only come out when justice is rightly served, or when I’m already dead. It may not be the best way to spend geezerhood, but unless you get me ahead of my time, I prefer to suffer in pain but with dignity, sitting alone with my conscience for the rest of my life, rather than do time in jail for a crime I did not commit.

The facts are too glaring to ignore. For example, in 2009, my lone accuser, Cezar Mancao II, after freely admitting to having been pressured and promised a good life by the previous regime, applied to become a state witness and be dropped as a principal accused by testifying that “sometime in September, or early part of October 2000, when ex-President Estrada was out of the country, he overheard me order a murder to be committed.”

Never mind that unassailable documents say that I was out of the country during that time, hence the physical impossibility of having engaged in that supposed “car conversation.”

Last November 11, 2010, to appear to be the least guilty and qualify as a state witness, he manifested before the same court through his lawyer that “he only learned of the sordid affair ‘ex post facto’ or after the fact.”

He “knew” but he didn’t know.

Should I take his place in jail?

As lawyers like Sec. de Lima would always say, “untrue in one thing, untrue in everything.”

My only appeal is for the honorable Secretary of Justice to exercise what she said is her “plenary power” to ask the court to withdraw the information and conduct a reinvestigation.

***

Lacson Family Appeals to President Aquino

2010-08-22T01:58:00.000-07:00

Finally breaking silence, the family of Senator Panfilo Lacson called on President Benigno Aquino III to have the Dacer-Corbito case re-investigated and the warrant of arrest against their patriarch be suspended so he can safely go home.

“We maintain that the charge against my father is a form of political vendetta from the previous administration and were based on flawed and selective appreciation of facts. Every day that this flaw is not corrected is not only injustice to my father, but to us his family, as well,” said Ronald Jay Lacson, the senator’s son and his office chief of staff.

The younger Lacson said his father is very eager to face his accusers but doesn’t want to be incarcerated, even for a short moment, for a crime he did not commit. “He never considered going to jail, even for a minute, as an option,” he said.

He said that since the case was filed and the arrest warrant was issued without due course under the Arroyo administration, it would be just fair if the case is reinvestigated in light of the suppressed testimony of former police colonel Glenn Dumlao and other new pieces of evidence submitted in their motion for reconsideration before the Manila court.

During the trial of the case last August 4, Dumlao stressed in open court that Lacson and even his accuser, former policeman Cezar Mancao, had no personal knowledge of the alleged operation against public relations man Salvador `Bubby’ Dacer.

Lacson said other pieces of evidence which they submitted during the early part of the Department of Justice investigation on the case were also set aside by the prosecutors even though such glaringly prove that his father is innocent.

“We are not asking the Aquino administration to absolve my father. We would just like to ask for the suspension of the warrant against him while the case is being reinvestigated,” Lacson said.

He lamented that the Department of Foreign Affairs hastily cancelled the senator’s passport despite the arguments his lawyers presented in a letter last Friday.

o0o

[text of letter of Sen. Lacson's lawyers]

20 August 2010

Office of Consular Affairs
Department of Foreign Affairs
2330 Roxas Boulevard
1300 Pasay City

Attention: Director Fernando Beup
Passport Director

Re: Passport of Senator Panfilo M. Lacson

Gentlemen:

We write on behalf of our client, Senator Panfilo M. Lacson, in response to the 12 August 2010 letter of Undersecretary Rafael E. Seguis to our client.

Our client was informed by Undersecretary Seguis that the Secretary of Justice has sought the cancellation of Senator Lacson’s passport on the basis of Section 8(b)(1) of Republic Act No. 8239, otherwise known as the Philippine Passport Act of 1996, viz:

“Sec. 8. Grounds for Denial, Cancellation or Restrictions. — The application for passport may be denied, cancelled or restricted only on the following grounds:

xxx

(b) Cancellation

1. When the holder is a fugitive from justice.…”

However, the foregoing provision is inapplicable since it refers to the cancellation of an application for a passport, and not of the passport itself.

On the other hand, the law firm of Ongkiko Manhit Custodio & Acorda, counsel for the family of the late Salvador “Bubby” Dacer, invoked Section 8(b)(1) of R.A. No. 8239, as well as Article 9, Section 2(c) of DFA Order No. 11-97, or the Implementing Rules and Regulations of R.A. No. 8239. The latter provision, which states that a passport may be cancelled “upon lawful order of the court to hold the departure of an applicant because of a pending criminal case,” finds no basis in the law it implements. The said instance is a ground only for the denial of an application for the issuance of a passport, and not a ground for the cancellation of an existing passport. The IRR cannot re-write the law it implements. In the words of the Supreme Court:

“Administrative regulations adopted under legislative authority by a particular department must be in harmony with the provisions of law, and should be for the sole purpose of carrying into effect its general supervisions. By such regulations, of course, the law itself cannot be extended. An administrative agency cannot amend an act of Congress.”

In addition, the objective of the Dacer family is to have the passport of Senator Lacson cancelled “in order that [he] may be brought back to the Philippines.” It is clearly not for the purpose of holding the departure of the passport holder, which is what the IRR sanctions.

Counsel for the Dacer family cited the case of Suntay v. People of the Philippines, where the Supreme Court held that the Secretary of Foreign Affairs lawfully exercised his discretion in cancelling the passport of an accused who was facing a criminal charge for seduction. However, Suntay was decided in 1957, when there was yet no provision in the Constitution limiting restrictions on the right to travel. Now, the right to travel is a fundamental right. Section 6 of Article III of the 1987 Constitution—our Bill of Rights—provides that the right to travel can only be impaired “in the interest of national security, public safety, or public health, as may be provided by law.” The Supreme Court, in Silverio v. Court of Appeals, explains:
“Article III, Section 6 of the 1987 Constitution should be interpreted to mean that while the liberty of travel may be impaired even without Court Order, the appropriate executive officers or administrative authorities are not armed with arbitrary discretion to impose limitations. They can impose limits only on the basis of ‘national security, public safety, or public health’ and ‘as may be provided by law,’ a limitive phrase which did not appear in the 1973 text (The Constitution, Bernas, Joaquin G.,S.J., Vol. I, First Edition, 1987, p. 263). Apparently, the phraseology in the 1987 Constitution was a reaction to the ban on international travel imposed under the previous regime when there was a Travel Processing Center, which issued certificates of eligibility to travel upon application of an interested party (See Salonga vs. Hermoso & Travel Processing Center, No. 53622, 25 April 1980, 97 SCRA 121).”
Section 2 of R.A. No. 8239 echoes the Constitution, viz:

“Sec. 2. Statement of Policy. — The people's constitutional right to travel is inviolable. Accordingly, the government has the duty to issue passport or any travel document to any citizen of the Philippines or individual who complies with the requirement of this Act. The right to travel may be impaired only when national security, public safety, or public health requires. To enhance and protect the unimpaired exercise of this right, only minimum requirements for the application and issuance of passports and other travel documents shall be prescribed. Action on such application and the issuance shall be expedited.”

The grounds upon which passports may be cancelled must be read in conjunction with Section 2 of R.A. No. 8239 and, more importantly, the Constitution. In other words, it is not enough to allege that the holder of the passport is a fugitive from justice, or that the cancellation of a passport is for the purpose of holding the departure of an accused. It must also be shown that national security, public safety, or public health requires such cancellation. Here, there is no such showing.

Moreover, Senator Lacson is still in the process of exhausting judicial remedies to recall the warrants of arrest issued against him and to have the criminal cases filed against him dismissed on the ground of lack of probable cause. These are remedies that do not require his physical presence.

Finally, it bears stressing that Branch 18 of the Regional Trial Court of Manila directed the DFA “to observe the mandate set forth in the said case [Suntay] and other existing rules and jurisprudence on the matter.” With all due respect, therefore, this Honorable Office cannot order the cancellation of Senator Lacson’s passport.

Very truly yours,

POBLADOR BAUTISTA & REYES
By:

ALEXANDER J. POBLADOR

JAIME G. HOFILEÑA

MA. ELIZABETH L. LICERALDE

Copy furnished:

Regional Trial Court of Manila
Branch 18
Criminal Case No. 10-272905-906

Secretary Leila M. De Lima
Department of Justice
Manila

Ongkiko Manhit Custodio & Acorda Law Offices
Counsel for the family of Salvador Dacer

Mancao 'Offer' Claim Shows Desperation

2010-08-18T04:44:00.000-07:00

“I don’t accept bribes, so why would I offer a bribe?”

On this note, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson on Wednesday brushed off former police colonel Cezar Mancao II’s claim of a so-called bribe offer to recant his testimony linking him to the Dacer-Corbito case.

Lacson said Mancao and his lawyer may be turning desperate, after the testimony of former Senior Superintendent Glenn Dumlao in court last August 4 effectively demolished Mancao’s fabricated claims.

“The fact of the matter is, the court testimony of Glenn Dumlao has effectively demolished Mancao’s fabricated testimony against me. That’s why Mancao and his lawyer are on desperation mode,” he said.

Also, Lacson noted the same court records showed Mancao contradicted himself on many points, even testifying that he signed an affidavit prepared by government prosecutor Hazel Valdez.

Further, Lacson said Mancao’s testimony was disproved by former Senator Manuel Roxas II and former Press Secretary Michael Toledo – along with unimpeachable documents he submitted during the preliminary investigation by the Justice Department during the Arroyo regime.

Mancao has a pending application to be discharged as a suspect and to be a state witness in the case before he can be formally admitted to the government’s witness protection program.

“From the very start, it is easy to comprehend that Mancao is conveniently fabricating these lies to benefit himself. He implicated Senator Lacson so he can get out of prison in the US and go back to the Philippines – all expenses paid at that. And now, he is accusing our camp of trying to bribe him into recanting a testimony which was already shattered in court,” added Lacson’s lawyer Alex Avisado Jr.

Last August 4, Dumlao stressed in open court that Lacson had no personal knowledge about the alleged operation against Salvador “Bubby” Dacer, contrary to Mancao’s claim that he heard his former superior ordering the liquidation of a certain “Delta” sometime in September 2000.

Dumlao also testified that Mancao was not even aware of the alleged operation until after Dumlao reported to Mancao, then his task force commander, that such an operation was carried out.

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Office: Red Tape Bill Already a Law

2010-08-08T23:55:00.001-07:00

Why push a bill that is already a law?

On this note, the office of Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson said there is no more need to push the passage of an anti-red tape bill that had not only been signed into law, but is already being implemented since last year.

"As early as June 2, 2007, then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed Republic Act 9485, or the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007, into law. Senator Lacson was the author and sponsor of that measure, being the acting chair of the Senate Civil Service and Government Reorganization Committee at the time," said lawyer Cesar Salazar, Lacson's chief legislative officer.

The Office of Sen. Lacson said the measure should ease up and accelerate government transactions in government agencies, both at the national and local levels.

It added the anti-red tape measure should also address problems hounding the ease of doing business in the Philippines.

RA 9485 requires government offices to adopt fixed deadlines to complete transactions, and regularly assess and upgrade their frontline services.

It provides a five-day deadline for the completion of simple transactions, and a 10-day deadline for the completion of complex transactions that require background checks.

While the law deems as approved transactions that are not acted upon, it penalizes heads of departments or offices who allow such transactions to lapse.

The law also limits the number of signatories to five, in contrast to past transactions that would have required more than 20 signatures.

Government offices must set up information billboards and public assistance desks, and frontline agencies will be subject to a report card survey by the Civil Service Commission (CSC).

The law also provides immunity to whistleblowers to encourage them to expose corruption in the bureaucracy.

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New NBI Chief Reminded: Lacson Will Not Use 'Past Associations' to Obstruct His Work

2010-07-11T01:28:00.000-07:00

New National Bureau of Investigation Director Magtanggol Gatdula should know better: Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson never – and will not – use past associations to keep him from performing his duty.

The reminder came Sunday from retired Chief Inspector Ricardo Dandan, himself a former subordinate of Lacson at the Philippine National Police, and currently administrative officer of Sen. Lacson’s office.

“Director Gatdula should know Sen. Lacson better. He won’t use their past association to make him not perform his job,” said Dandan, who like Gatdula was under Lacson’s command at the defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF).

President Aquino had named Gatdula to head the NBI. Gatdula had said there will be no letup in the bureau’s efforts to pursue the Dacer-Corbito case, amid apprehensions his being a former subordinate of Lacson may affect his work.

Before being named to the NBI, Gatdula headed the PNP Directorate for Information and Communications Management. He also headed the Quezon City Police District (QCPD).

On the other hand, Dandan said Lacson never informed Gatdula of how he used “persuasive tactics” to ensure Gatdula’s first “star” – or a promotion to the rank of Chief Superintendent.

“As far as I know, the senator used his ‘persuasive tactics’ during the hearings of the Commission on Appointments and budget deliberations last year to get Director Gatdula his first PNP ‘star promotion.’ This is because the senator was aware that like his other former subordinates in PAOCTF, he was being cast out and crucified by the past administration,” Dandan said.

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Lacson Throws Full Support Behind Move to Slash Pork

2010-07-07T02:05:00.000-07:00

Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson on Wednesday threw his full support behind a move to slash the pork barrel funds of lawmakers in the 15th Congress, saying it is a positive step towards helping the country get back on its feet.

Lacson, who has foregone his pork barrel funds since 2002, said this could also help the new administration fulfill its promise of less corruption since there will be less temptation for members of Congress.

"I strongly support the Liberal Party's move to cut the pork barrel by half to help the country back on its feet under the new administration," Lacson said.

As early as 2002, Lacson decided to forego his pork barrel funds, which he said is a strong temptation to commit graft.

In a privilege speech in 2003, he called for the abolition of the pork barrel system.

"Under the pork barrel system, only less than half of the taxpayers' money actually goes to the programs of work. More than half habitually goes to the pockets of corruption. Occasionally, depending on the insatiability of the corrupt, a shameful twenty percent of the fund is left to finance the project," he lamented.

Lacson pointed out that of the payments for pork-funded projects, two percent goes to the Commission on Audit as "S.O.P." while 10 percent is given to the district engineer and other officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Two percent is passed on to the Barangay Chairman, and five to 10 percent to the mayor or governor if they so demand. The only legal share from the slice of the pork is the contractor’s profit and the taxes he pays – if at all.

Worse, he said 20 percent of the project cost is earmarked for the legislator who identifies the project.

"There is no saying here that every senator or congressman is corrupt. It is only to say that we have all become suspect. The public has every basis and right to suspect. And we seem not to mind anymore," he said.

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:: Reposted from CBCP News :: Archbishop says Lacson's flight justifiable

2010-02-05T16:57:00.000-08:00

MANILA, February 5, 2010—The authorities will surely disagree but for a Catholic bishop, Senator Panfilo Lacson’s decision to leave the country is ‘justifiable’.

Retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz on Friday admitted he knew that Lacson was fleeing not due to his double murder charges but to avoid being a victim of evil conspiracy.

“I knew Lacson was leaving. We met two or three days before he left (the country) but I don’t know where he was going,” said Cruz.

But the prelate believes the senator has nothing to do with the twin killing of publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and Emmanuel Corbito in November 2000.

Cruz said Lacson left the country because the Arroyo administration has not stopped harassing him.

“He is not a coward. He just does not stand a chance, and would have difficulty in getting a just trial,” the archbishop said.

“I was listening to him. His decision to leave the country is justifiable,” he added.

Initial reports said Lacson flew to Hong Kong on Jan. 5, and then went to Australia.

The filing of double murder charges against Lacson, authorities said is the result of an investigation wherein he was given ample time to answer the allegations against him.

Government authorities also called on the senator to return to the country to face charges against him.

Cruz said he had already lost communication with Lacson ever since the latter flee. “He would only contact me when there is a major issue,” he said. (Roy Lagarde)

http://www.cbcpnews.com/?q=node/12108

Press Statement (on being placed in DOJ Watch List)

2010-02-01T23:46:00.000-08:00

As I had correctly suspected, the harassment by the DOJ upon the order of Malacañang will never stop. That's exactly the reason why I left the country. I am a victim of a conspiracy of whispers between Mrs. Arroyo and her stooge in the Department of Justice.

Even the most tenuous of evidence to justify their own interpretation of probable cause was used against me to satisfy their political vendetta against my person. From the Jose Pidal scandal, jueteng payola, Hello Garci election cheating controversy, to the ZTE and fertilizer scam, and many more abuses committed by Mr. and Mrs. Arroyo against the Filipino people, where I played the leading role in exposing, are mostly the reasons why I am being harassed no end.

I am hoping, as I was told that the judge handling the case is one who does not easily succumb to pressure and is a stickler for rules, will remain as such and decide the case fairly and based on its merits.

For now, my concern is my own personal safety and security. I will not allow Mrs. Arroyo and her cohorts in the DOJ the pleasure of seeing my life miserable and in danger. This is one case that I will dispute the argument – flight is an indication of guilt. I am not guilty but I cannot risk putting my life and security at the mercy of that evil conspiracy.

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Statement on Dacer-Corbito Case Development

2010-01-07T01:06:00.000-08:00

We are not surprised by the decision of the Department of Justice to file informations against Senator Lacson for the deaths of Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and Emmanuel Corbito. From the very start, Senator Lacson made it clear that the DOJ, through then Secretary Raul Gonzales and through acting Secretary Agnes Devanadera, had prejudged the case against him and that the DOJ was going to indict him at any cost to silence him and to punish him for his exposės against the administration.

Senator Lacson has pending petitions with the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court to enjoin DOJ’s actions against him. It is his hope that these courts will now act on his petitions with urgency.

Moreover, Senator Lacson filed today an Omnibus Motion with the Regional Trial Court of Manila to consolidate the informations with Criminal Case No. 01-191969 pending before Branch 18 of the Regional Trial Court of Manila, “People vs. Aquino, et al.”, and to request that Court to dismiss the case against him for lack of probable cause. Senator Lacson’s indictment is based largely on one of several conflicting affidavits of Cesar Mancao who testified on an alleged conversation between Michael Ray Aquino and Senator Lacson on board a car in September-October 2000. That conversation never happened and even if it happened, what it shows at most is that Aquino informed Senator Lacson of the plot against Dacer. However, it is elementary that mere knowledge of a crime, or even mere approval thereof, does not constitute conspiracy, or make one liable for a crime committed by another.

We trust that the Regional Trial Court of Manila will appreciate the facts impartially and judiciously and dismiss the case against Senator Lacson as the DOJ should have. The High Court has had occasion to rule that courts must always be wary of undertones of political harassment. Senator Lacson implores the Court to make a painstaking review of the facts and determine for itself that political motivations have played a role in the actions of the DOJ to implead him in a criminal case 9 years after its trial had commenced.

POBLADOR BAUTISTA & REYES
Counsel for Senator Lacson
5th Floor, SEDCCO I Bldg.
Rada St., Legaspi Village, Makati City

By:
ALEXANDER J. POBLADOR, 0917-8977986
JAIME G. HOFILEÑA
JOSEPH JOEMER C. PEREZ
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Lacson to Colleagues: Heed IPU Call to Let Trillanes Attend Senate Sessions

2010-01-04T00:24:00.000-08:00

Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson called on his fellow senators Monday to heed the International Parliamentary Union (IPU)'s resolution to allow Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV to attend regular Senate sessions.

Lacson said it is high time that the Committee on Rules act on at least two resolutions allowing Trillanes to fulfill his lawmaking duties by attending the sessions, even under heavy guard.

Lacson noted that as early as October 21 last year, the IPU Governing Council pushed for allowing Trillanes to attend Senate sessions at its 185th session.

The IPU resolution noted that while Trillanes was arrested and detained in July 2003, he was allowed to run for senator in May 2007 and was elected.

Despite earning a mandate from the people, his detention made him "virtually unable to carry out his parliamentary mandate," while his applications to be allowed to attend Senate sessions have been rejected by the court.

Lacson, who chairs the Senate Accounts Committee, is working to allow Trillanes to attend Senate sessions through video-conferencing - with the concurrence of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.

The IPU had noted the Philippine Senate has adopted Senate Resolutions 3 and 765, effectively changing some rules to allow Trillanes to attend sessions, hearings and/or meetings through remote or electronic means.

On the other hand, the IPU voiced deep regrets the resolution has not yet been implemented, thus depriving Trillanes' electorate of representation in parliament. It called on competent Senate authorities "to ensure that the Resolution is implemented without further delay."

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Sponsorship Speech on SB 3554 (Act Granting Civil Service Eligibility to Casual/Contractual Govt Employees)

2009-12-29T13:49:00.001-08:00

Hon. Panfilo M. Lacson

Acting Chairman, Committee on Civil Service and Government Reorganization

December 16, 2009

Mr. President,

It is my honor to sponsor before this august chamber Senate Bill No. 3554 under Committee Report No. 775, entitled “An Act Granting Civil Service Eligibility to Government employees, Under Certain Conditions, whose Status of Appointment is either Casual or Contractual and Who have Rendered a Total of Five Years of Efficient Service.”

According to the Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government employees or Courage, casual or contractual employees comprise about 8% of the total bureaucracy. Based on statistics gathered by Courage as of 2008, we have 99,749 casual employees and 22,345 contractual employees nationwide. A great number of them have judiciously served the people with efficiency, dedication and to the best of their abilities. It is unfortunate that such exemplary demeanor has not resulted in job security despite their individual years of government service.

Mr. President, it is an established norm that the state dutifully rewards dedicated public service in every which way and form, and Senate Bill No. 3554 precisely aims this by granting civil service eligibility to deserving employees of the government who have rendered at least five years of continuous service. This measure shall cover both casual and contractual employees in the government, whether they occupy positions in the first or second level. However, in order to promote the merit system and maintain professionalism in the government, the employees covered by this bill cannot expect any career advancement or promotion unless they obtain the appropriate eligibility requirements for the said position.

Your honors, this is not the first time that civil service eligibility has been accorded to government employees through legislative fiat. Republic Act No. 6850 or better known as the Rasul Law was passed by Congress in 1990. This law also bestowed civil service eligibility to provisional or temporary government employees who have worked in the government for at least seven years. If we had found wisdom in granting civil service eligibility to that group of employees, the argument for granting the same privilege to our casual and contractual government employees has the equivalent legitimacy.

My distinguished colleagues, I would like to especially mention the efforts of the distinguished minority leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. in painstakingly pushing for the passage of this measure. This representation has built a career based on the idea of a level playing field, that ambition and hard work are the ultimate tools for success and fulfillment. As individuals who possess more legal and legislative wherewithal than most of our country’s bureaucracy, I urge you distinguished colleagues to perform our responsibilities as equalizers and pass this legislative measure to give due credit to our casual and contractual employees.

Thank you Mr. President.

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Sponsorship Speech on SB 3498 (The Psychology Regulation Act)

2009-12-29T13:46:00.002-08:00

Hon. Panfilo M. Lacson

Acting Chairman, Committee on Civil Service and Government Reorganization

December 1, 2009

Mr. President,

I have the honor of sponsoring Senate Bill no. 3498 under Committee Report No. 722, entitled “An Act to Regulate the Practice of Psychology, Creating for this Purpose a Professional Regulatory Board of Psychology, appropriating funds therefor and for other purposes.”

The practice of psychology consists of the delivery of psychological services that involve the application of psychological principles and procedures for the purpose of describing, understanding, predicting and influencing the behavior of individuals or groups, in order to assist in the attainment of optimal human growth and functioning. For purposes of this measure, the delivery of psychological services includes the following: psychological interventions, psychological assessment, and lastly, psychological programs.

The State recognizes the legitimacy of psychological services, as evidenced by the presence of psychologists in many government agencies such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the National Institute of Mental Health, and in various government hospitals and military organizations. The existence of numerous state-administered tests, like the neuropsychiatric tests for military and police recruits and for overseas contract workers, exemplifies the significance of the role of psychologists in our society. Moreover, media reports also indicate increasing incidences of situations requiring psychological interventions, such as natural and man-made calamities, adjustment problems in OFW families, and drug-related problems, among others.

In recent years, there have been several policy developments recognizing the need for psychological services, yet the State has failed to define who is legally qualified and competent to deliver such services. Despite the application and use of psychology in our every day lives, no law exists to regulate the practice. It is precisely this type of environment that creates opportunities for abuse and exploitation.

The current demand for psychological services in the country equally calls for the proper regulation of the profession in order to protect the public. It is deplorable that such a highly specialized field of medicine remains unregulated by the government especially considering its varied specializations and the diverse array of clients it caters to. To allow the practice of psychology to remain unbound by consolidated rules is detrimental, and in some situations even life-threatening to the Filipinos. The State as the general overseer of public affairs has to ensure that only those who are qualified, competent, and morally upright are allowed to practice this profession.

Senate Bill No. 3498 seeks to address the vacuum existing between our present state policies and the current demands of psychology, both as a profession and as a state service, by providing for the following important provisions:

* Creating a regulatory board overseeing the management and practice of psychology and psychometrics;

* Defining the scope and nature of psychology and psychometrics in the country;

* Setting the standards for administering licensure examinations and other educational standards in practicing the profession;

* Granting the protection of privileged communication for any communication or information disclosed and/or acquired in the course of giving psychological services; and

* Imposition of penalties for violators of this act.

The essence of this proposed measure lies in the professionalization of the practice of psychology by strengthening its requirements and by having a uniform system of regulation. The immediate approval of this act will standardize the practice, reinforce competence and credibility in the profession, and provide protection not only for the public but for the practitioners as well.

Thank you.

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Sponsorship Speech on SB 3499 (The Respiratory Therapy Bill)

2009-12-29T13:46:00.001-08:00

Hon. Panfilo M. Lacson

Acting Chairman, Committee on Civil Service and Government Reorganization

December 1, 2009

Mr. President,

It is my privilege to present to this august chamber Senate Bill No. 3499 under Committee Report No. 723, entitled “An Act Regulating the Practice of Respiratory Therapy, Creating a Professional Regulatory Board of Respiratory Therapy, appropriating funds therefor, and for other purposes.”

Respiratory therapy is an allied health specialty employed with medical direction in the treatment, management, control, diagnostic evaluation and care of patients with deficiencies and abnormalities in the cardiopulmonary system. Respiratory therapists are involved in the treatment of chronic lung problems such as asthma, bronchitis, emphysema and other acute multi-systemic problems due to other pathological conditions including heart attacks and stroke.

The practice of respiratory therapy in the Philippines started in the late 1970s by a group of American respiratory therapists employed by Medical Services of America, Inc. They encouraged the graduates of B.S. Medical Technology and nurses to undergo a six- month on-the-job respiratory therapy training program. This program produced the first batch of Filipino respiratory therapists. During the 1980s, the Philippine government, under the auspices of the Commission on Higher Education, recognized some educational programs under the discipline of respiratory therapy. In 1987, the B.S. in Respiratory Therapy (BSRT) program was first offered in medical colleges.

The field of respiratory therapy is relevant in a country that counts acute lower respiratory tract infection and pneumonia as among the top causes of morbidity with cases reaching as many as 700,000. Tuberculosis, another leading cause of morbidity, also claimed a total of 132,725 victims in 2006 alone. Given the numerous calamities that has visited the Philippines, it is expected that more cases of respiratory-related illnesses will be recorded. The prevalence of these diseases among Filipinos makes the professionalization of our respiratory therapists an imperative to ensure the safe implementation of responsible respiratory care.

Although our country was the first in Asia to offer a curriculum in respiratory therapy, we have fallen behind in terms of regulating and professionalizing this field. Twenty-five years since its introduction, the BSRT program remains to be the only four-year degree course that has not been licensed or professionalized by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). As a result of this omission, our respiratory therapists are deprived of their due recognition as professionals and this has placed them in a very disadvantaged position compared to their foreign counterparts. Case in point is our RT practitioners working overseas, particularly those in the Middle East.

The employment viability of our BSRT graduates has reached tenuous levels as foreign governments require a “professional license” from the country of origin as well as international accreditation requirements for licensed respiratory care practitioners. When fully implemented, not only are the jobs of our Filipino RTs abroad at stake but our government stand to lose several millions of pesos worth of potential remittances.

The lack of a professional license has also hindered the development of this medical field and prevented RT practitioners from being globally competitive despite their innate and overt abilities. Moreover, the lack of a professional license has delegated our Filipino RTs as mere technicians instead of as professionals.

The measure i am sponsoring this afternoon seeks to address the concerns of our Filipino respiratory therapists by providing for the following:

* The creation of a professional regulatory board of respiratory therapy under the administrative supervision and control of the PRC;

* A licensure examination requirement for all applicants for registration in the practice of respiratory therapy; and

* Guidelines and regulations involving the practice of respiratory therapy in the country.

Indeed we need a sense of urgency in passing this proposed legislation to alleviate the plight of our RT practitioners both here and abroad, and to elevate their status justly. It is my hope that my fellow senators will heed the call of our Filipino respiratory therapists and assist this representation in the immediate enactment of this bill.

Thank you.

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Lacson Pushes P1.16-B Realignment of ARMM Budget to Social Services, Overdue Pension Payments

2009-12-10T19:28:00.000-08:00

After getting a glimpse of alleged abuses and corruption by some members of the Ampatuan clan in Maguindanao, Senator Panfilo M. Lacson pushed Friday to re-channel some P1.16 billion from the budget of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) for 2010.

Lacson proposed that P1 billion for ARMM infrastructure projects and P160 million in special purpose funds of the ARMM governor be redirected to other items in the budget.

“Under the special provisions of ARMM’s proposed budget, (the) appropriation of infrastructure projects (can) only be released and utilized pursuant to enactment of a Public Works Act by the regional assembly. Since the ARMM legislative assembly has not enacted a Public Works Act and there is no listing of projects and construction to be funded by P1 billion as proposed, then we might as well disburse the P1 billion, part of which should be given to the DSWD,” Lacson said at the budget hearing for the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

"We might as well distribute the amount to different agencies in the national government," he added.

Sen. Miriam Santiago, who was sponsoring the DSWD’s budget for 2010, said she “completely agreed” with the proposal to re-channel part of ARMM’s budget if the ARMM could not implement its projects. “Those previous budgetary appropriations should be disbursed for other purposes that we know will actually be implemented,” she said.

Lacson recommended that the amount go to priority projects of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and to fund the overdue pensions of retired policemen and firefighters.

In proposing funds for the pension of retired policemen and firefighters, Lacson had lamented some retired firefighters had already died waiting in vain for their much-needed pensions up to now. In late 2004, some 650 retired firefighters sought Lacson’s help in getting benefits and pensions that have been denied them due to a perennial lack of funds.

“Since what we witnessed in Maguindanao, we might as well slash the special purpose fund intended for the Office of the Governor. Please consider this. The national government is subsidizing something like 98% of budget of ARMM,” he said.

Lacson said that while ARMM allocated 55% of its budget to education, the COA report still showed as many as three pupils are sharing one seat. “So nothing much is really spent for education despite their being priority in ARMM,” he said.

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Lacson to DILG: Account for P568.1-M for Non-Working '117' Call Centers

2009-12-08T02:17:00.001-08:00

Bewailing that many of them have been denied the benefits they earned after years of duty, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson made a fresh appeal Tuesday for the release of funds for the pension of retired policemen and firefighters.

Lacson made the appeal during his interpellation of the proposed 2010 budget of the Department of Interior and Local Government, which supervises the Philippine National Police and Bureau of Fire Protection.

“We can only hope during period of amendments we can put in some amount to address the concerns of these retired policemen and firefighters,” Lacson said.

He lamented some of retired firefighters had already died waiting in vain for their much-needed pensions up to now.

Lacson found an ally in fellow Cavalier Sen. Gregorio Honasan II, who said the issue is “close to our hearts.”

“This is a matter your committee will pursue beyond deliberations of the budget,” Honasan assured Lacson.

In late 2004, some 650 retired firefighters sought Lacson’s help in getting benefits and pensions that have been denied them due to a perennial lack of funds.

Lacson initially succeeded in realigning some P291.43 million from from the budgets of other government agencies for the purpose.

At the time, he said most of the 650 retirees are aged between 60 and 72, and 65 of them already died while waiting for their pension to be paid.

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Lacson Makes Fresh Appeal for Retired Cops, Firemen's Pension

2009-12-08T02:11:00.000-08:00

Arroyo's Congressional Bid Stumps Even Webster

2009-11-30T21:33:00.001-08:00

With her filing of a certificate of candidacy for Pampanga congresswoman, President Arroyo has succeeded in stumping even Mr. Webster: there is simply no word to describe her shamelessness.

Senator Panfilo M. Lacson said Tuesday even the word "shameless" is too good to describe Mrs. Arroyo’s taking advantage of the absence of a constitutional prohibition to run, in order for her to cling to power.

"'Shameless' must be too good a word to describe her. Even Mr. Webster failed to think of an appropriate word for a public offiical like her," Lacson said.

He noted Mrs. Arroyo, in choosing to run again for public office after nine years in power, had defied the foresight and anticipation of the framers of the 1987 Constitution.

The spirit of the Constitution in limiting a president to a single six-year term is to keep him or her from staying in power, he said.

Yet, Lacson lamented Mrs. Arroyo went ahead with running for another elective post - while refusing to address speculations she will eventually make a bid to become Prime Minister, once her allies in Congress push for a shift to a parliamentary form of government.

"She defied all foresight and anticipation of the framers of our Constitution who never imagined a President would someday think of such a political impropriety. They never thought there would be a political creature like Mrs. Arroyo,” he added.

Before that, Lacson said Mrs. Arroyo should already be held accountable for fostering transactional politics, leading to a climate of impunity.

He said that in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the Ampatuan clan was allowed to act like gods for so many years - in exchange for Mrs. Arroyo's electoral victory in Maguindanao in 2004, and the 12-0 victory of her senatorial bets there in 2007.

"In more ways than one, she must be held accountable for the carnage in Maguindanao," Lacson said.

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Jailing All Perpetrators Only Way for Arroyo Gov't to Redeem Self from Ampatuan Carnage Mess

2009-11-25T19:09:00.000-08:00

Get all the perpetrators including the masterminds, lock them up, and throw away the key.

This is the only way for the Arroyo government to redeem itself after it allowed a violent carnage in Maguindanao province and showed signs of going easy on the suspected masterminds, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson said Thursday.

"Now that the European Union, United Nations and other leading countries have condemned the Maguindanao massacre, and rightly so, as it is unprecedented in any election-related violence anywhere in the world, the only redeeming value left for our country is to account for all the perpetrators of the crime and lock them all up in jail forever," Lacson said.

More than 50 people were killed in the gruesome massacre in Ampatuan town in Maguindanao province last Monday.

Investigation so far showed the carnage stemmed from a political feud between the Ampatuan and Mangudadatu clans.

As of early Thursday, Philippine National Police chief Director General Jesus Verzosa said some suspects had been arrested, while Datu Unsay town mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. agreed to surrender.

On the other hand, Lacson said it was equally deplorable that the Ampatuans even served as smiling hosts to presidential adviser on Mindanao Jesus Dureza, who Mrs. Arroyo designated as head of a crisis committee handling the carnage.

Dureza met with the Ampatuans Tuesday even after Buluan Vice Mayor Esmael Mangudadatu had indicated the Ampatuans were behind Monday’s massacre.

"It is equally condemnable that the Ampatuans served as smiling hosts to Mrs. Arroyo's emissary Sec. Jesus Dureza following the massacre, and after initial evidence gathered already pointed to the Ampatuans as the masterminds. Truly, only in the Philippines," Lacson lamented.

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Lacson to Arroyo: Shun Political Solutions, Go All-Out vs Maguindanao Murderers

2009-11-23T20:05:00.000-08:00

Instead of settling for another "political solution," President Arroyo must now go hammer and tongs against the perpetrators of Monday's gruesome massacre in Maguindanao province - and shoot the perpetrators if necessary.

Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson issued this challenge Tuesday to Mrs. Arroyo, saying this is one test that her administration cannot afford to flunk.

"This is one test that I insist the Arroyo administration must pass for a change. The entire Filipino nation must act as one in challenging Mrs. Arroyo and all our law enforcement agencies to lose no time in arresting the perpetrators of this abominable act and if necessary shoot to immobilize them," he said.

"The Arroyo administration must be cautioned this early that a political solution of any form is not acceptable as it is unconscionable," he added.

Members of the Ampatuan clan - credited for Mrs. Arroyo's poll "victory" in Maguindanao in 2004 and those of her senatorial bets in 2007 - were linked to the gruesome killing of at least 36 people, including journalists.

Authorities believe the incident was related to the 2010 elections.

Lacson said that while cheating in elections is forgettable though not necessarily forgiveable, killing political opponents and incurring "collateral damage" is a different matter.

Such senseless killing and violence must be dealt with firmly just to show the rule of law can still prevail in a part of the country where the Ampatuans act like "gods," he said.

"Cheating in every election in Maguindanao by the Ampatuans to deliver the votes to Mrs. Arroyo in 2004 and her senatorial candidates in 2007 – in which I was one of the victims, having gotten zero vote in the province – may be forgettable, but not necessarily forgivable,” he said.

“But killing political opponents, including those who had nothing to do with the forthcoming May elections is another matter altogether, and must therefore be treated differently if only to show that the rule of law can still reign in that part of the country," he added.

o0o

Join Campaign vs Pretenders to Presidency, Ping Invites Chiz

2009-11-23T20:04:00.000-08:00

Now that he has withdrawn from the presidential race, Sen. Francis Escudero should now focus his efforts to fight off pretenders to the presidency next year.

The invitation came from fellow opposition senator Panfilo M. Lacson, who said their common goal now is to make sure Filipinos choose an honest leader.

"Now that Sen. Escudero and I stand on the same ground, I hope we will continue to be one in pursuing our common objective of helping the Filipino electorate choose our next leader worthy of their votes, one who will not take advantage of his power and position to enrich himself in office then engage in transactional politics to cover up for his sins," Lacson said.

Last June, Lacson withdrew from the presidential race, saying he lacked the resources to keep up with his wealthier opponents who can afford frequent daily ads on radio and television.

He lamented that even if he tried to communicate the truth to people, limited funds forced him to "bow" to the reality of the race being for those with access to unlimited funds.

But he said he hopes to have Escudero join him in campaigning against "pretenders" to the presidency who turn out to be traditional politicians intent on fooling Filipino voters before and after the elections.

"I hope Chiz will also join me in campaigning against the pretenders to the presidency who are the traditional politicians out to deceive and fool us all before and after they get elected," he said.

o0o

'Resolution' Not Derailed, Just Put in Proper Place

2009-11-17T20:58:00.001-08:00

The so-called resolution seeking to dismiss an ethics complaint against Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. was not derailed but merely put in its proper place.

On this note, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson on Wednesday defended Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile's decision to toss the document to the Committee on Rules.

"Derailed is not a proper word to describe what happened yesterday. Put in its proper place is more like it. It's unparliamentary, unethical, brazen display of disrespect to the Senate President and the Senate as an institution and abusive of our rules. Kaya dapat lamang na ibato sa committee on rules (It is just fair that it be tossed to the Committee on Rules)," Lacson said.

On Tuesday, Enrile tossed the resolution to the backburner, saying it is “not in order” at this time, adding the resolution effectively preempts the Committee of the Whole, which was formed to look into the ethics complaint filed by Maria Ana Consuelo Madrigal against Villar.

Last year, Lacson delivered a privilege speech on a P200-million double entry mess involving a stretch of road between South Luzon Expressway and Sucat Road. The privilege speech prompted Madrigal to lodge an ethics complaint against Villar.

On the other hand, Lacson noted some senators were deceived into signing the resolution after the one who circulated the resolution for signing made it appear Enrile knew and approved of it.

“It’s very dangerous. If you can deceive your fellow senators into believing it is okay to sign for this or that reason, that’s very dangerous,” he said. "A politician fooling his constituents is virtually an accepted practice. But to deceive a fellow senator into signing a resolution, that’s too much.”

Lacson also questioned Villar’s signing the resolution, saying it was tantamount to the respondent clearing himself.

Meanwhile, Lacson wished Sen. Lorna Regina "Loren" Legarda good luck in her team-up with Villar for the 2010 elections. "They deserve each other. Bagay talaga sila pagdating sa character, pag-uugali at kredibilidad (They are a perfect march in terms of character and credibility). Good luck to Loren," he said.

o0o

Junking of Impeach Raps vs Mercy Par for the Course

2009-11-17T20:57:00.001-08:00

Nothing to be surprised about.

This was how Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson on Wednesday described the junking by the House of Representatives of the impeachment complaint against Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez.

"I will be surprised if the House of Representatives impeached her instead of dismissing the complaint," Lacson said.

On Tuesday night, the House of Representatives voted 172-15-1 in favor of the committee report junking the impeachment complaint against Gutierrez due to lack of substance.

Committee Report 2483, prepared by the House committee on justice under Quezon City Rep. Matias Defensor, ruled that while the complaint was “sufficient in form, (it) is not sufficient in substance.”

The complaint was filed by civil society groups and former Cabinet officials led by former Senate President Jovito Salonga.

Lacson noted the administration of Mrs. Arroyo has had a track record of twisting legal procedures to protect its allies from constitutional sanctions, including impeachment.

He said Mrs. Arroyo herself has benefited from such twisting of legal procedures, with her allies saving her from impeachment four times.

"If there’s one big accomplishment this administration has, it’s able to tire us all, yung feeling of resignation prevalent not only among people but even us in the opposition. It’s very tiring ... But we cannot afford to be tired," he said.

o0o

Sponsorship Speech on SB 3519 (The Real Property Valuation Reform Act)

2009-11-17T05:29:00.000-08:00

Hon. Panfilo M. Lacson
Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means
November 17, 2009

Mr. President,

Your Committees on Ways and Means, on Local Government and on Finance, has the honor to report back for the consideration and approval of this august body, Senate Bill No. 3519 under Committee Report No. 740, authored by this representation and Senators Lapid, Angara and Biazon, entitled:

“AN ACT INSTITUTING REFORMS IN REAL PROPERTY VALUATION IN THE PHILIPPINES, ESTABLISHING THE NATIONAL VALUATION AUTHORITY AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR”

The Committee Bill is in substitution of the following measures:

* Senate Bill No. 130, authored by this representation, entitled: “AN ACT AMENDING SECTIONS 472 AND 473 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7160 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE OF 1991”

* Senate Bill No. 202, authored by Senator Lapid, entitled: “AN ACT LIMITING THE AUTHORITY GIVEN TO THE COMMISSIONER OF THE BUREAU OF INTERNAL REVENUE (BIR) AND ENCOURAGING THE ACTIVE PARTICIPATION OF STAKEHOLDERS IN PRESCRIBING REAL PROPERTY VALUES, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8424 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE ‘NATIONAL INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES’, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES”

* Senate Bill No. 898, authored by Senator Angara, entitled: “AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING REFORMS IN REAL PROPERTY APPRAISAL AND ASSESSMENT PRACTICES, IN THE PHILIPPINES CREATING FOR THE PURPOSE THE NATIONAL APPRAISAL AUTHORITY AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES” and

* Senate Bill No. 1645, authored by Senator Biazon, entitled: “AN ACT INSTITUTING REFORMS IN THE REAL PROPERTY VALUATION AND ASSESSMENT PRACTICES IN THE PHILIPPINES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES”.

This report is a product of extensive public consultations jointly by the Committees on Ways and Means, Local Government and Finance.

During the tenure of our distinguished colleague Senator Escudero as Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means, one public hearing and two TWG meetings were held:

When this representation took over as Committee Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means, nine regional consultations, one TWG meeting and a final public hearing were conducted:

Mr. President, in order to know the sentiments of affected and concerned sectors, shown is a profile of the stakeholders who attended the consultative hearings.

Previous consultations were conducted by the Department of Finance (DOF) with key stakeholders in the government, such as the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the Commission on Audit (COA), the Civil Service Commission (CSC), the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP), the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP), the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP), the Provincial Board Members League of the Philippines (PBMLP), the Philippine Councilors League (PCL) and the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP), government assessors and treasurers associations, such as the Philippine Association of Local Treasurers and Assessors (PHALTRA), the Philippine Association of Assessing Officers (PAAO), and the Philippine Association of Municipal Assessors (PAMAS), and the nine basic sectors of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC).

In the private sector, the following were consulted: the Financial Executives of the Philippines (FINEX), the Capital Market Development Council (CMDC), realty service groups, such as the Institute of Philippine Real Estate Appraisers (IPREA), the Philippine Association of Realty Appraisers (PARA), the Chamber of Real Estate Builders Association (CREBA), and the academic community.

Mr. President, for a better understanding of the bill, allow me to explain the concept of real property valuation.

The International Valuation Standards (IVS) defines real property as referring to all the rights, interests, and benefits related to the ownership of real estate.

While Valuation/Appraisal refers to the systematic and analytic determination and recording of property facts, circumstances, investments, and investigation of other relevant data resulting in a supportable estimate and opinion of value, or a professional conclusion based upon supporting data, logical analysis and judgment as of a specific date for a specific purpose.

Mr. President, real property is the country’s most important resource and biggest financial asset. A World Bank study indicated that 50% to 75% of national wealth is contained in land, alone. Real property, therefore, has the largest potential contribution to national income for funding economic and social developments.

Due primarily to our chaotic, ineffective and inequitable real property valuation system, real property contributes only a meager 6.6% to the gross national product (GNP).

Mr. President, based on a five-year study conducted by the Land Administration and Management Project of the DOF, and from actual experience, the following are the problems besetting the country’s real property valuation system:

FIRST, there are multiple valuation systems and standards in use in the Philippines. At least 23 different national government agencies and the 1,712 LGUs perform valuation functions for their own purposes, such as:

* National taxation (BIR);
* Acquisition, disposition or rentals of public lands (DENR);
* Compensation for agrarian reform (DAR);
* Land conversion (DA);
* Mortgage lending, collaterals (GSIS, Land Bank);
* Acquisition, disposition or rentals of real property (HUDCC, NHA, HGC);
* Expropriation of private property (DPWH, Napocor);
* Litigation and garnishment proceedings (LRA, RD);
* Registration and extraction of fees (LRA, RD);
* Financial /transaction audits (COA); and
* Real property taxation (LGUs).

SECOND, there are wide variations or disparities in valuation of the same property by these different agencies. Based on a 2004 Comparative Study of Land Values in Selected 19 Cities & Municipalities conducted by the LAMP-DOF:

* The Schedules of Market Values (SMVs) of LGUs are lower by 13% to 94% than the Zonal Values of the BIR;
* The Zonal Values of the BIR are lower by 5% to 930% than valuations made by private appraisers;
* The SMVs are lower by 187% to 7,474% vis-à-vis the valuation of private appraisers.

The wide disparities create confusion and make valuation susceptible to corruption, as in the case of the C-5 mess, a controversy which is now the subject of an ethics investigation against a member of this august chamber.

THIRD, it is observed that there is rampant and widespread undervaluation of real property for tax purposes. Conversely, there is overvaluation of property for expropriation and other cases where the government pays. In most cases, the situation leads to lengthy court litigation that delays the implementation of vital infrastructure projects that also multiplies its cost and deprives the public of the early enjoyment of the intended benefits of the project, like what happened in the Calaca port expansion project of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) which took the Courts more than a decade to resolve the land valuation issue in the case of PPA vs. Rosales-Bondoc, et.al (GR No. 173392, August 24, 2007), resulting in the multiplication of the project cost and deprived the public of the early economic and social benefits of the Project.

FOURTH, more and more LGUs do not comply with the legal requirement for revision of their Schedule of Market Values (SMVs) as mandated by the Local Government Code. Their non-compliance adversely affects the capacity of LGUs to increase revenues from real property, thereby increasing their reliance on the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA).

FIFTH, there is no complete, current and reliable database of real property transactions. Data are dispersed among agencies performing valuation—LGUs, BIR, banks, registers of deeds, notaries, real estate practitioners—and are not readily accessible to the public. Moreover, these data are generally unreliable as they do not reflect true values of property at the time of transactions. Often they are deliberately understated to reduce the taxes due on them. This is not conducive to transparency and informed decisions relating to real property.

THE OVERALL EFFECT OF THESE PROBLEMS:

Mr. President, if these problems are not immediately addressed, the Government will continue to starve for resources to finance its development programs, especially for the poor, and may have to rely on the adoption of more tax measures, expansion of foreign debts, and will continue to bleed from corruption.

Moreover, taxation will remain inequitable and biased against the poor. The present system has eroded public confidence on real property valuation system; and on government’s land management capability, in general, thus the erosion of public trust in governance.

THE SOLUTION (THE VALUATION REFORM ACT, ITS OBJECTIVES AND FEATURES)

Thus, Mr. President, your Committees propose the immediate enactment of Senate Bill No. 3519, otherwise known as the Real Property Valuation Reform Act of 2009, with the following features:

* Objective: Promote, develop and maintain a just, equitable, nationally consistent real property valuation based on internationally accepted standards, concepts and practices.

* Establish and adopt a set of Philippine Valuation Standards based on international valuation standards to govern valuation of real property in the country.

* Adopt a single real property valuation base for valuing/appraising real property for various real property transactions by all government agencies and for assessment of all real-property related taxes.

* Create a National Valuation Authority, a lean and mean, highly technical agency under the DOF, as primary agency of government on valuation/appraisal of real property in the country to:
- Develop, adopt and maintain valuation standards for real property for tax and other purposes and ensure compliance thereof:
- Provide technical assistance to government agencies and instrumentalities on real property valuation and conduct, when required, special purpose property valuation;
- Regulate valuation/appraisal activities by compliance monitoring;
- Support the professionalization of appraisers and assessors, and the their organization;
- Train government assessors and appraisers;
- Promote valuation profession, training and development;
- Maintain a roster of government appraisers and assessors, and a national database of real property transactions;
- Promote continuing studies, information base on global and country trends and developments in real property transactions

* Separate the technical function of valuation/appraisal from the political function of taxation by transferring the approval of the Schedule of Market Values (SMVs) from the Sanggunian to the national valuation authority.

* The Appointment of Assessors by DOF Secretary from recommendees of local chief executives;

* Phased implementation of regional Offices to ensure most effective operating setup.

Budgetary Requirements

For the first year of implementation, the NVA will initially require P43.22 million. In the second year it will need P69.67 million, and P93.938 million in the third year of implementation.

The VRA will enhance local autonomy by strengthening the financial capacity of LGUs as shown in the local autonomy triad. The triad is composed of administrative, service delivery and financial autonomy. Accordingly financial autonomy is based on the triad. Without financial autonomy, the 2 other parts of the triad cannot be achieved. The VRA gives substance to and supports the objectives of the Local Government Code of 1991 which objective is to enable local government to enjoy genuine and meaningful local ... autonomy to enable them to attain their fullest development as self-reliant communities and make them more effective partner in the achievement of national goals.

Mr. President, the preparatory administrative arrangements for the smooth implementation of Valuation Reform Act are already in place in the DOF, which is implementing the real property valuation and taxation component of the Second Land Administration and Management Project (LAMP2).

The VRA has been endorsed to your Honor, the Senate President, and the Speaker of the House by the Secretary of Finance as priority policy agenda of the Government.

Pilot Study for Valuation Reform

Under LAMP, pilot studies have been made to ensure effective implementation of these reforms, in Naga City, Iloilo City, and lately in Mandaue City. These cities served as LAMP LGU partners in modeling the proposed revision of the Schedule of Market Values (SMVs).

The Naga City Experience
Using the improved valuation systems and procedures including the valuation standards, the SMV which used to be based on 1994 to 1995 prices was updated to reflect current market conditions. The revised SMV which took effect in January 2009 indicated great potential for increased revenues from real property tax. However, using the present assessment levels and tax rates would have meant sudden increase in taxes. Using the new SMVs, the Naga City adopted a tax structure that would strike a balance between the revenue requirements of the city government and the reasonable and acceptable tax burden that can be absorbed by the taxpayers—hence, a staggered implementation and capping of the tax increase were adopted.

The Iloilo pilot study is still ongoing while Mandaue has just started its pilot study.

Policy Reforms: Executive Order No. 833 Creating the Property Valuation Office (PVO) and DOF Order No. 37-09 Adopting the Philippine Valuation Standards.

Mr. President, to facilitate introduction of the reforms under the VRA, Executive Order No. 833 was issued on October 13, 2009 creating the Project Valuation Office (PVO) in the DOF. The PVO will be the transition organization to the National Valuation Authority (NVA).

On October 19, 2009, the Secretary of Finance also approved and issued Department Order No. 37-09 approving the Philippine Valuation Standards to govern real property valuation.

On the part of the legislative department, we passed Republic Act No. 9646 otherwise known as the Real Estate Service Act (RESA). RESA is a twin measure to VRA. It professionalizes the real estate service and organizes and capacitates the real estate service practitioners for the crucial role they will play under the reform envisioned by the VRA.

Mr. President and colleagues of the Senate of the People, the VRA is the answer to our quest for generating more revenues to fund national development programs, without creating new tax measures. Senate Bill No. 3519 will make real property taxation more equitable and will ensure that our largest natural resource and biggest financial asset contribute its fair share to national income.

In view of the foregoing, I urge the immediate passage of this bill. Thank you.

*****

Statement on the C-5 'Resolution'

2009-11-16T21:49:00.000-08:00

Everything is transactional. The C-5 mess started and is about to end using transactional politics. One question immediately comes to mind - what did the 12 senators vote on? There is not even a committee report out for deliberation on the floor.

While it may be true that a majority of senators can express the sentiment of the Senate as a collegial body, it seems inappropriate to vote on a committee's recommendation that is yet to be routed for signing by its members and presented on the Senate floor.

It is a slap on the face of the chairman of the Committee of the Whole who happens to be the Senate President. It is a mess and an ugly one at that.

o0o

Report on ZTE Mess a Deterrent to Whistleblowers

2009-11-10T23:32:00.001-08:00

Instead of deterring wrongdoing, the Senate panel report on the $329.48-million national broadband network deal mess would intimidate future whistleblowers from exposing anomalies in government, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson lamented Wednesday.

On this note, Lacson said he cannot support the recommendation of the report to pursue charges against witnesses Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr. and Jose de Venecia III.

“As the sponsor of the privilege speech that triggered the ZTE investigation and responsible, directly or indirectly in convincing Jun Lozada to come out and testify in the Senate investigation, I cannot support a committee report that will discourage future whistleblowers from blowing the lid and testify against powerful and influential persons committing large-scale graft such as the NBN-ZTE deal,” he said.

Besides, he said the findings that Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chairman Richard Gordon presented Tuesday were yet to be approved by members of the whole committee.

In 2007, Lacson delivered a privilege speech detailing irregularities in the government’s bidding for its national broadband network (NBN) deal. The speech triggered an investigation by the Blue Ribbon Committee.

During the Senate hearings on the matter, de Venecia testified that then Commission on Elections Chairman Benjamin Abalos offered then socio-economic secretary Romulo Neri a P200-million bribe to endorse ZTE Corp. as the contractor. Neri confirmed this in his testimony.

However, it was Lozada whose testimonies detailed the irregularities in the bidding process for the NBN deal.

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What's Surprising About PGMA Flunking MCC Challenge?

2009-11-10T23:28:00.000-08:00

What's new about the present administration flunking yet another scorecard of the Millennium Challenge Corporation?

Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson posed this question as he said he would be more surprised if the Arroyo government got a passing grade from the MCC.

"What do we expect from an administration that brazenly steals money, be it from the taxpayers or loan proceeds as in the World Bank fiasco, or even aid such as the fund for Millennium Development Challenge? I will be surprised if we got good marks instead of a failing grade," he said.

He recalled that despite the World Bank's blacklisting of some firms in public works projects, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) allowed some of these blacklisted firms to continue bidding in government projects.

The Arroyo government flunked anew the MCC's scorecard, getting scores below the median scores in a number of indicators, with the Department of Foreign Affairs blaming this to supposed “technicalities."

In Fiscal Year 2009, the Philippines fell further below the Control of Corruption indicator, obtaining a score of 47 percent or 0.01 below the median. The Philippines further dropped to 26 percent or equivalent to 0.20 below the corruption median.

Also, the Philippines flunked in the areas of rule of law, immunization rates, girls’ primary education completion and business start-ups. It also retained its failing marks on health expenditures and primary education expenditures.

MCC is a US government corporation designed to work with developing countries on Millennium Challenge Account (MCA)-funded programs for economic growth.

Meanwhile, Lacson questioned the right of the Arroyo government to assure visiting US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that next year's election will be transparent and free.

Clinton is due to visit the country on Thursday and Friday, en route to Singapore to attend an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting.

"This administration has no moral ascendancy or even a basic right to convince the visiting US Secretary of State that elections in May will be transparent and fraud-free," Lacson said.

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Lacson Pushes Use of Gov't Savings, Untapped Funds in P12-B Fund for 'Ondoy,' 'Pepeng' Victims

2009-10-13T19:33:00.000-07:00

So as not to further bloat the country’s P230-billion budget deficit as of October 2009, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson has suggested that a P12-billion fund for victims of “Ondoy,” “Pepeng” and similar recent calamities be sourced from government savings and other untapped fund sources.

Lacson said the savings and unused funds may include the P200-million double entry for a stretch of the C-5 Road linking Sucat, Parañaque in southern Metro Manila to the South Luzon Expressway.

The P200-million “redundant appropriation,” which was the subject of a Senate ethics investigation, was included in the 2008 budget.

“From unreleased appropriations, I remember in 2008 there was a redundant P200 million, we can tap the P200 million. The life span of the budget is two years, so there’s P200 million in the 2008 budget. It is carried over to 2009, so right there we can get P200 million and probably we can locate other sources of other appropriations in the 2009 budget,” he said in his interpellation of the resolution for the P12-billion fund Tuesday evening.

“I am concerned we will further bloat this budget deficit,” he added.

He suggested other untapped fund sources may include the Motor Vehicle Users’ Charge (MVUC), as well as from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor). “We will not get money from national treasury. The MVUC proceeds don’t form part of the national budget and so is Pagcor,” he said.

Senate finance committee chairman Edgardo Angara earlier noted the bulk of the P12-billion fund would come from proceeds of the operation of the Malampaya natural gas facility.

On the other hand, Lacson said getting most of the funds from earnings in the operation of the Malampaya facilities will increase the budget deficit.

He noted the government relies on tax revenues and earnings from government-owned and controlled corporations or sale of assets, which go to the national treasury and form part of total revenue.

“If we deduct P12 billion for purposes of appropriating some funds for the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Public Works and Highways and so forth, it will increase the projected budget deficit. Somehow it has some effect on the budget deficit,” he said.

On the other hand, he said that if government does not appropriate the P12 billion, there will be an additional P12 billion in the treasury.

“If we borrow P230 billion assuming the budget deficit is pegged at P230 billion till yearend (we will need to) just borrow P218 billion,” he said.

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Lacson Pushes Probe on P2.32-M Video Equipment Purchase

2009-10-12T01:03:00.000-07:00

Not wanting irregularities to hound his own backyard, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson pushed for a full investigation into alleged overpricing in the P2.32-million purchase of video equipment for the Senate's Public Relations and Information Bureau.

Lacson, who chairs the Senate accounts committee, said initial price comparisons showed the Senate may have paid more than double for the video equipment, which included cameras and accessories.

"In view of the foregoing may I respectfully request that an investigation on the matter be conducted by the proper Senate authorities in order to determine whether there is collusion between the supplier and that of the end-user resulting in this overprice, which may have prejudiced this institution, and if so, to file the necessary charges against the responsible officer or officers of the Senate," he said in a letter to Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.

He said he learned of the alleged irregularity from concerned Senate employees.

The transaction involved two sales invoices of Jhebtronic Trading Sales dated October 6, for P2,320,000. The invoices bore the signature of a certain Joe Andrew Garcia indicating the items were received "in good condition."

Among the items in the invoices were three Sony DSR-PD170 Camcorder (video camera recorders) worth P395,000 each, and three Sony NP-F970 InfoLithium L-series batteries worth P15,000 each.

But Lacson pointed out that another dealer, Henry's Camera and Photo Supply, sold the same model camcorder for only P175,000 each, and the L-series batteries for only P9,800 each.

A price comparison showed the same-model Sony camcorder cost $3,995 (P186,147) on Amazon.com; $2,569 (P119,702) on Power Seller NYC; and $2,599 (P121,100) at Dealcost.com and Fumfie.com. The battery pack cost only $105 (P4,892) on online shops.

On the other hand, Lacson said a comparison by his staff of the other items bought by the PRIB from Jhebtronic with prices offered by dealers on the Internet showed:

* Three Manfrotto 351MVCF carbon fiber lightweight video tripod kits, P140,000 per unit on Jhebtronic and $1,790 (P83,405) each on the Internet;

* Three Sony HVL-LBP LED light system units worth P80,000 each on Jhebtronic and $519.95 (P24,227) on the Internet;

* Two data video RMC-140 tally box/light indicators worth P70,000 each from Jhebtronic and worth only $479 (P22,319) each on the Internet;

* Two Benpro MP-98m8 5-section aluminum monopods worth P20,000 each on Jhebtronic and worth only $83 (P3,867) on the Internet;

* Three Kata CC-197 HDV camera bags worth P21,000 each at Jhebtronic and only $239.99 (P11,182) on the Internet; and

* Two Sony ECM-673 Shotgun/Boom microphones worth P45,000 each at Jhebtronic and only $219.952 (P10,248) each on the Internet.

o0o

Statement on Erap's 'Forgiveness'

2009-09-25T02:47:00.001-07:00

I thank him but I am not asking for forgiveness. I believe I am doing our country a great service by telling our people what kind of a president he was.

He is essentially good and charismatic as a person. I have no doubt about it. But he should leave leading the country to someone better than him. Our country deserves it.

If he shows some compunction, he also deserves to be forgiven.

o0o

OFFICE OF SENATOR PANFILO M. LACSON
Rm. 525, Senate of the Philippines, GSIS Building, Roxas Blvd., Pasay City
Web: www.pinglacson.net Blog: pinglacson.blogspot.com

Statement Please Refer to
25 September 2009 Gerry de Belen 0923-2532364

SEN. LACSON’S STATEMENT ON FORMER PRESIDENT ESTRADA’S ‘FORGIVENESS’

I thank him but I am not asking for forgiveness. I believe I am doing our country a great service by telling our people what kind of a president he was.

He is essentially good and charismatic as a person. I have no doubt about it. But he should leave leading the country to someone better than him. Our country deserves it.

If he shows some compunction, he also deserves to be forgiven.

o0o

Prosecution or Persecution?

2009-09-22T02:38:00.000-07:00

Privilege Speech Delivered by
SENATOR PANFILO M. LACSON
September 22, 2009

I rise again today on a matter of personal and collective privilege.

On several occasions, I took the floor of this august hall on very important issues affecting national interest.

Jose Pidal. Hello Garci. The NBN-ZTE Broadband Deal. The Fertilizer Scam. Jueteng Anomaly. The C5 Extension Road Project Double Appropriation. The Pork Barrel Anomalies. Plus many others, the latest of which talked about Joseph Ejercito- Estrada in “Dalawang Mukha ng Sining.”

I did not have to seek out most of these anomalies. They came to me. The easiest and most convenient thing to do was to ignore them. Wala akong magiging kaaway. Tahimik pa sana ang aking buhay. But that would be betraying my oath to the Filipino people as an elected Senator of the Republic.

Perhaps no incumbent senator has had the multiple displeasure of being vilified, his reputation assailed repeatedly than this humble representation. If this is the price to pay for fearlessly contributing my share in the fight against graft and corruption in government, then so be it.

If by exposing people in high places and those in the corridors of power would mean creating bitter enemies or losing friends thus making my life miserable, I am willing to pay that price.

Which is why I was aghast at how the gentleman from San Juan, in his privilege speech in this same hall last week accused this representation of being an administration ally, simply because I exposed the true character of his father, the former president.

Everyone and his uncle know that this representation does not receive any pork barrel. I can face any cabinet official or agency head, any executive of any government financial institution or GFI, or government-owned and controlled corporation, or GOCC and before everyone in this august chamber, declare without hesitation, that I have not asked them for any government project for myself or for financial advantage.

The gentleman from San Juan also mentioned that sometime in December of last year, one of the lawyers of former P/Sr Supt Mancao sought an audience with him and requested financial assistance for his client because I have allegedly abandoned Mancao and my other former men in the defunct PAOCTF.

I would like to make a brief comment and confession -

Simula pa noong 2001 magpahanggang ngayon na ako ay nagtatalumpati sa inyong harapan, ay patuloy kong sinusustentuhan ang mga pamilya ng dati kong mga tauhan na nakakulong sa Manila City Jail. Kasama na dito ang mga pamilya ni dating P/Sr Supt Michael Ray Aquino, Cezar Mancao at Glen Dumlao, hanggang ang dalawa ay napauwi dito sa Pilipinas kamakailan, ay tuloy-tuloy ang financial assistance ko sa kanilang lahat sa abot ng aking makakayanan at sa tulong na rin ng mga taong nailigtas namin sa mga kidnappers o natulungan habang ako ay naglilingkod pa bilang isang alagad ng batas. Hindi dahil may kinalaman ako at may dapat akong pagtakpan sa kasong Dacer-Corbito, kung hindi sa dahilang sila ay mga dati kong tauhan at naaawa ako sa kanilang pamilya na nangangailangan ng tulong kaya minarapat kong sila ay tulungan.

Samantalang ang taong maaaring may malaking kinalaman sa pagdurusa ng mga dati naming tauhan, kahit isang singkong duling ay walang itinulong sa kanila magpahanggang ngayon! Ako po lahat ang sumasalo sa problemang wala naman akong kinalaman.

That plain. That simple, Mr President.

Before I tackle the Dacer-Corbito double murder case, please allow me to tell you some short stories about a son, a brother and an elected senator of the Republic.

The following are excerpts from a telephone conversation that transpired between two male persons, both in the United States at that time, one in Los Angeles, California, the other, in Las Vegas, Nevada. One of the persons on the line was about to be extradited to testify in a plunder case then pending trial at the Sandiganbayan involving a long-time friend and former president of his country.

The original charge sheet included the father, the mother and a son. Hence:

(Conversation between two male persons on or about summertime of 2006 in America)

Voice Nr 1: Pare, ano ba plano mo pag-uwi mo?

Voice Nr 2: Pare, ‘di ko alam eh.

Voice Nr 1: Pare, kung uuwi ka... kung ano man ang plano mo, huwag mo na kaming idamay ni mommy; si daddy na lang.... kaya niya namang i-depensa ang sarili niya... May ambisyon pa ako. Magpre-presidente pa ako... ako ang bahala sa ‘yo.

Voice Nr 2: Bahala na. Di ko alam pag-uwi ko....

Of course we now know that the father was convicted, while the mother and son were acquitted.

The man in Las Vegas could not believe what the man in Los Angeles told him. But the fact that the source of this phone conversation is not only reliable but unimpeachable, I myself could not believe this story.

The next story is about two brothers, both presidential sons at that time, and a jueteng operator in Baguio City. The elder brother, after being informed that a younger brother was receiving a monthly jueteng payola of P1M, called the attention of the jueteng operator and told him, thus:

“‘Yung P1M na ibinibigay mo sa kapatid ko, hatiin mo... sa akin mo ibigay ang kalahati... Baka gamitin lang pambili ng drugs yung pera.”

Aside from that additional P500,000 sequestered from the younger brother, the elder brother had a regular monthly payola of P800,000 from another jueteng operator from Bulacan, P1M from Chavit Singson and unspecified amount from yet another gambling lord from Pampanga.

Talk about betrayal, Mr. President.

The third story involves an incumbent Cabinet secretary and an elected senator of the Republic. Hence:

“Sec, natalo ako ng P10M. Bigyan mo ako ng project bukas.”

The following day, a member of the senator’s staff would call on the secretary to follow up on the project. I had no time to check if a project was given, and if so, how much.

Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, the three short stories that I shared with you only show the rotten moral values of that son, brother and public official.

Now, let me go back to the issue at hand.

Multiple theories have been imagined, crafted and spread with impunity to show that I had something to do with the twin murders. Behind it all are scheming minions of the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration and lately joined by the very same person who, along with this representation and four or five other personalities were named by former Police Sr Supt Cezar Mancao in his open court testimony last September 3, 2009.

He is former President Joseph Ejercito-Estrada, recently convicted for plunder but immediately pardoned by the incumbent president.

In his informal talks with some of our common friends, he would maliciously albeit with feigned ignorance ask, “Ano ba ang galit ni Ping kay Dacer?” or, “Bakit kaya galit na galit si Ping kay Bubby Dacer?” gusto niyang palabasin na ako ang may motibo laban kay Mr. Dacer. Dapat ay sarili niya mismo ang tanungin niya at siguradong alam niya ang mga kasagutan doon.

Mr. Estrada also had the temerity to issue a press statement attributing to me supervision of Oplan or Operation Delta which according to Mr Mancao was designed to neutralize Salvador “Bubby” Dacer. Mabuti pa siya, alam pala niya na may Oplan o Operation Delta. Samantalang ako, sa mga pahayagan at kamakailan ko lang nalaman na may ganun palang operation plan.

Ginoong Pangulo, tiniis kong mag-isa ang mga pagbabatikos sa pamamagitan ng media tungkol sa Dacer case. Binalikat kong mag-isa at hindi man lang inabala ang dating pangulo para tulungan ang mga dati naming tauhan sa PAOCTF. Subali’t nang ituro pa ako ng dating pangulo na siyang may kinalaman sa kaso nina Dacer-Corbito, sinabi ko sa aking sarili, tama na. Panahon na upang tayuan ko sa bulwagang ito at idepensa naman ang aking sarili.

The Swiss philosopher, Henri Frederic Amiel once said, “Truth is not only violated by falsehood; it may be equally outraged by silence.”

Following the arrest and extradition of Cezar Mancao and Glen Dumlao, the media have been following this story like a telenovela.

In the midst of all these events was the unexpected relief of the erstwhile Secretary of the Department of Justice, the very talkative Raul Gonzalez. My Malacañang sources informed me that the Palace was not happy with the way the irrepressible Gonzalez telegraphed through the media what could have been a clockwork effort by former Presidential Security Group head, now ISAFP Chief Romeo Prestoza, in convincing Mancao to what he himself testified on cross examination by defense lawyers as “fabricated evidence” to implicate me in this case.

Thus, on August 12, 2008, Cezar Mancao was interviewed over radio station DZMM. Following are the excerpts from the transcript of that interview:

Q: (Ted Failon) - Dacer-Corbito case, pending arrest warrant, nililigawan ka raw ni Col Prestoza?

A: (Mancao) - September nagsimula yun. Tinawagan niya ako dito sa bahay na ito, itong teleponong gamit ngayon, nagpakilala siyang siya si Romy Prestoza, bagong halal na PSG chief sa panahong yan. Binigay niya sa akin ang kanyang cell phone number at nag-offer sa akin.

Q: (Ted Failon) - Anong offer?

A: (Mancao) - After siya magpakilala, sinabihan niya akong siya ay bagong halal na PSG chief. Sabi niya masyado raw maingay si Senator Lacson, parang asong ulol, gusto niya patahimikin. Gusto niya akong gamitin, in-offer-an nila ako at buong pamilya ko na manirahan sa Singapore. Lahat na kailangan ko, provide nila.”

Earlier, on August 6, 2008, Mancao was also interviewed by GMA-7 reporter, Maki Pulido. Hence:

“Inalok ako tsaka buong pamilya ko na manirahan sa Singapore. Bigyan ng kung ano, kailangan namin talagang kung ano kailangan ha, in general. Tsaka ito suportahan kami...”

“Hindi naman namin napagusapan ang detalye pero in general para sirain, para manahimik na si Lacson, gamitin daw ako.”

“Iniipit na ako eh, alam mo masyado na ‘tong panggigipit. Ayoko na sanang sumali-sali sa ganyan Maki eh. Ayoko na sanang pa-interview pero sana naman ‘wag na masyadong idamay pa ako diyan sa gulo ng pulitika.”

Cezar Mancao informed me of his conversation with now yet-to-be-confirmed by the CA Maj. Gen. Prestoza through text messages with an assurance that he would stick to the truth and nothing more. I have kept some of those text messages in the folder of my cell phone. I would like to share the same with you, Mr President, distinguished colleagues. Thus -

Message details, from - 0019546732576 (Mancao’s Florida number). Date: 01/04/2008. Time 07:31. Type: text message.

The text message reads:

“Ur ryt,sir! Maricar (Mancao’s wife) said it too.I was hoping i can contribute something 2 propel u at d end.Rest assured of my loyalty.I will (sic) desist d temptattn.Sleep soundly,SIR.”

On several occasions, Cezar Mancao had confided to some people when asked pointblank if this representation had anything to do with the Dacer-Corbito case. He told Ms. Teresita Ang-See that I had no participation, direct or otherwise, when the latter asked him that question sometime in 2003 in the US. He likewise told Malaya columnist, Mr. Lito Banayo the same thing when they saw each other, also in the US sometime in April 2006. And lately, after he had already returned to the country, he repeated the same assertion to a common friend that I had nothing to do with the crime being investigated by the DOJ.

To all these, I now appeal to Cezar Mancao - please abide by the ideals of our Alma Mater, the Philippine Military Academy and have the courage to speak only the truth, both in private conversations as well as before the court and in any formal investigation. I have suffered long enough before the bar of public opinion. The anxiety and anguish keep on building up on my family and my siblings. My parents both died without being given the pleasure of seeing their son vindicated.

Why Cezar Mancao succumbed and decided to sign his February 14, 2009 affidavit is a matter between him and God. I am still hopeful he has not forgotten what God told us through Moses: “Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor.”

In Mancao’s court testimony and Dumlao’s sworn affidavit, they narrate that in the early part of October 2000, they went to the office of then P/Sr Supt Michael Ray Aquino to ask him what the so-called “Operation Delta” was all about. Again, excerpts from that supposed conversation as per narration made by Glen Dumlao in his first and handwritten sworn affidavit reveal the following:

“When we reached the office of P/Supt Aquino, P/Supt Mancao asked: Noy, ano ba ang special operations na ito? P/Supt Aquino answered: Kay kuwan yan, Mr Dacer. OK na yan sa Malacanang, pinag-uusapan na yan - Pinag-uusapan na yan. P/Supt Mancao again queried: Clear ba ito sa Boss natin, kay 71? (Senator Lacson is a member of PMA class 1971). P/Supt Aquino answered: Sila (Malacanang) na daw bahala sa kanya.. They (Malacañang) said they will take care of informing him (Lacson).”

My other set of Malacañang informants also told me that Raul Gonzalez tried to convince his President to extend his stint as DOJ Secretary by at least two months by telling PGMA that he intended to resolve the case against me in sixty days record time to which, Mrs Arroyo retorted in her usual “taray” fashion by saying, “Eh, yun na nga eh!...”

Not known to many who are following this case, Cezar Mancao and Glen Dumlao, to-date have executed three sworn statements each. In this case, the contents of the affidavits are modified at each turn, and it would take some patience and perhaps extra-professional expertise to separate the grains of truth from the specks of dirt in the testimonies given by both affiants.

All of the aforementioned affidavits do not contain any statement linking me to the crime, except the one executed by Cezar Mancao on February 14, 2009. in the other affidavits, statements made by Mancao and Dumlao even exculpate me from the crime, attesting to the fact that indeed, I had no knowledge much less authorization for its execution.

In the August 27, 2009 banner story of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the legal counsel for Mancao, Atty. Ferdinand Topacio said that in a court hearing, his client identified me as the one who carried out President Estrada’s order to abduct and kill Bubby Dacer. The official transcript of the records of the court proceeding flatly belies Atty. Topacio’s statement before the media who interviewed him. That made me think - Is this what the lawyer and the prosecutors wanted Mancao to say at the hearing, in accordance with a scripted scenario?

Whether Atty Topacio made those statements out of recklessness or out of malice is of minor importance. What is more significant is that it ruined my reputation both as a senator and as a citizen of this country. By making such untrue and malicious statement to the press, Atty. Topacio clearly violated Rule 13.02 under Canon 13 of the Code of Professional Responsibility that states: “A lawyer shall not make public statements in the media regarding a pending case tending to arouse public opinion for or against a party.”

When reminded that his reckless statement can make him subject of disbarment proceedings, Atty. Topacio conveniently blamed the media by claiming that he was misquoted. Kung sa o dalawang reporter lang sana ang nakarinig ng kanyang sinabi, baka umubra pa ang kanyang palusot.

I am almost tempted to use more colorful language for Atty Topacio’s behavior and demeanor as a member of the bar, but I would rather express my condemnation in formal administrative and criminal complaints that I will file against him.

Atty Topacio’s cheap media propaganda tactic is simply the latest of many insidious efforts to ruin my reputation or implicate me in a criminal case by resorting to falsehoods.

Our colleague, the gentleman from San Juan City, quoted a statement issued by the same Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, in effect saying that in his “honest opinion as a lawyer of Cezar Mancao, he believes that Senator Lacson is the only one being directly linked by his client to the twin murders.” To all the lawyers in this august chamber, since when does the opinion of the lawyer of a witness in a criminal case carry weight and probative value?

It is my humble submission that the said opinion is at its best, a self-serving, uncalled for remark from an officer of the court. Worse, it is unethical, even criminal.

Only last Friday, September 18, 2009, at around 2 o’clock in the afternoon, Glen Dumlao was visited by a lawyer inside his DOJ safehouse who conveyed a message from the same Atty Ferdinand Topacio to convince him to corroborate the affidavit executed by a newfound false labandera witness that I had a shouting match with Mr Dacer in a beach resort in Batangas. Finding Glen Dumlao unconvinced to perjure himself and cooperate with them, the lawyer said:

“Papaano ‘yan? Iipitin nila ang reinstatement mo sa PNP kung hindi mo susundin ang gusto nila. To which, Dumlao replied, “Eh di hindi na lang ako magpupulis. Magsasaka na lang ako.” The lawyer added, “Mukhang nagkakasabwatan na sina Topacio at Erap.”

Mukha nga, Mr President. Kasi, ang bilis makakuha ng statement of support ang kasamahan nating senador na taga San Juan galing kay Atty Topacio.

Ano ba namang klaseng mga abugado ito, Mr President? Are they not aware of the crime of “subornation of perjury”?

In fact just last Sunday afternoon, Atty. Topacio reported to the former president at his Polk Street residence, where other prominent lawyers of Mr. Estrada were in attendance. One of them could not believe what he saw, for Mr. Topacio is lawyering for witness Mancao, not Mr. Estrada. So shocked that this prominent member of the Bar informed me.

Mr. Topacio was even bragging to a semi-retired publicist, once press undersecretary to the former president, how he lambasted me in a press forum earlier, as if reporting, ‘mission accomplished’ and asking ‘the envelope please.’

This administration and its cohorts will stop at nothing to deliver misery at my front door.

This utter disregard for the truth is best exemplified in the following excerpts from Glen Dumlao’s affidavit dated May 20, 2003. At the time of this conversation, he was under the custody of the PNP starting second quarter of 2001:

“I experienced my greatest fear when I was brought to the office of ISAFP Chief Col (Victor) Corpus at 7:30 am on December 17, 2002.

During the meeting, Col Corpus did almost all of the talking like a mad man. Col Corpus told me that - ‘sige, magdiretsahan tayo, kung di ka tutulong sa amin, ibibigay ka naming (sic) kay Ping para patayin ka na. Ayaw namin ang katotohanan. Kung amin ka, dapat total support at i-pin down natin si Ping.

Bibigyan ka namin ng magandang buhay at posisyon. Andito lahat ang makakatulong sa ‘yo. Pero kung hindi, magkakaleche-leche na ang buhay mo. Nagkakaintindihan ba tayo? Ibigay ninyo sa aking custody ang taong ito. kasi play safe siya eh, takot kay Lacson. Dito sa ISAFP, I promise you, dalawang araw lang, ang dami ng ikakanta yan.”

Incidentally, I was informed by my lawyers that in a hearing of an ongoing libel case that I filed against Victor Corpus and other parties, he apologized in open court for vilifying me publicly, using characters like Ador Mawanay, Mary “Rosebud” Ong, Devnani and others, mostly in public hearings conducted by the Committee on Public Order and Illegal Drugs chaired by the late Sen Robert Barbers.

Glen Dumlao was subjected to threats and intimidation while in police custody and even now that he is under the protective custody of the DOJ. He suffered mental, emotional, psychological and even physical pressure. When he did not give in, he was promised a good position and comfortable life. In spite of these, he consistently refused to perjure himself and sacrifice the truth for the sake of justice that has been eluding the Dacer and Corbito families. I cannot help but admire his character. His Alma Mater, the Philippine National Police Academy can be truly proud of him despite the confessions he publicly made of his past sins.

My own Alma Mater, the Philippine Military Academy is not short of alumni who truly and continuously live up to the ideals of the institution and our motto -- Courage, Integrity and Loyalty in the face of difficult odds or the temptation of financial benefits. Nothing less must be expected of a fellow cavalier like Cezar Mancao.

Mr. President, I have been a law enforcer before I became a senator. I uphold the law. I arrest criminals. I know that I must fulfill my oath of office and follow only legal orders.

Kung sa jueteng nga na bukod sa may milyon milyong piso akong matatanggap bawat buwan at may basbas at utos pa ang Commander-in-Chief, hindi ako sumunod o umayon, sa murder pa kaya?

Last Friday, I read in the news quoting Atty. Demetrio Custodio Jr. who represents the Dacer family as legal counsel that a certain “labandera” volunteered to testify that this representation had a shouting match with Mr Dacer in a beach resort in Batangas one week before he was abducted. On the same page, Atty Custodio revealed that the Dacer family is willing to accept me as a state witness if I divulge information pointing to the real mastermind behind the twin murders.

The “labandera” story appears to be a small-minded gambit to make me accept the offer. Thanks but no thanks. We must not allow our search for the truth to be colored by personal motivations nor sidetracked by idiocy.

In the first place, I was not a close acquaintance of Mr Dacer – certainly not close enough to spend time with him in a beach resort, be it in Batangas or elsewhere. I hate beaches as a matter of fact. And I don’t remember having gone to any beach in Batangas in my entire life.

In the second place, I was not a participant nor had any involvement in the crime, so how would I qualify as a state witness?

It obviously appears that the “labandera” story was concocted to support yet another theory behind the crime - that I had a personal motive to harm Mr Dacer.

What I can assure the Dacer and Corbito families is that I am willing to even sit down with them privately and share VOLUNTARILY AND UNCONDITIONALLY whatever I know about the abduction and murder of Mr Dacer and his driver. This representation, Mr President is as interested as they are to finally bring the real mastermind of this dastardly crime before the bar of justice.

Both my parents died last year. I know how it feels to lose our loved ones. The Dacer and Corbito families suffered their loss under extra-ordinary circumstances. I fully understand their grief and frustration that justice for their parents remain elusive up to now.

The objective quest for truth and justice must be paramount.

The guilty must answer for his crime. The innocent must be unburdened by baseless accusations and persecution.

Let me tell you another story.

The great Thomas Edison was at one time conducting a series of experiments. A laboratory assistant, who was impatient with the results so far, told Mr Edison “Sir, the last one was our 700th experiment and so far, we have not been successful.” To which the great man of science replied, “Good. That means we have eliminated 700 ways that will lead us to nowhere.”

I hope our Department of Justice with our zealous prosecutors will get a cue from Mr. Edison. I am not suggesting that the DOJ try 700 ways to get to the bottom of the Dacer-Corbito double-murder case. But to include me in the list of persons to answer for this heinous crime, simply because I am one very vocal critic of this administration impedes the wheels of justice, leads it astray and nowhere near the truth. We do not have 700 suspects in this case, so the process of elimination will be much easier and quicker than in the case of Mr Edison’s experiments. It is basic in any crime investigation to look at three simple elements - motive, instrument and opportunity. They should first ask who has all three and they will not go wrong.

This will bring me to another curious case - the disappearance of Mr. Edgar Bentain, the video operator of Pagcor who came out with a footage of then candidate Vice President Estrada gambling in the casino.

This much I can share, in the meantime, to our distinguished colleagues, the family of Mr Bentain and the Filipino people. Sometime in the middle of January 1999, one day after Edgar Bentain was abducted somehwere in Roxas Blvd and killed somewhere in Laguna, a police officer, still active at that time, went to Polk St in Greenhills and reported compliance with a “mission accomplished.” The house occupant simply said, “Sige, sabihin mo sa mga bata, maraming salamat.”

I did not identify the criminal simply because I did not have any participation or direct personal knowledge of these criminal activities while they were taking place years ago. My investigation is ongoing even as I speak today. But I have gathered enough facts and data to provide the useful leads to unmask the mastermind’s true identity and his active participation including other persons who were barely mentioned in the conduct of investigation.

True to my expectations, many are those who questioned my motives or the veracity of my statements. But to-date, my statements before this august chamber were sufficiently and independently corroborated and affirmed by other parties. My assertions appeal to logic and common sense. They can stand the test of truth.

Why speak only now? To me, the more relevant and all-important question is, DID I SPEAK THE TRUTH?

To anyone who dares challenge the truthfulness of my assertion, let him speak up now.

There can be a thousand reasons for why, how and when truth will find a way to stand out but when it does, we must welcome it with open arms, instead of questioning its timing and motive.

Cold reason, not heated passion or blind emotion spoken through fiery but empty rhetoric will enlighten our path to truth and justice for Mr Dacer and Mr. Corbito and their grieving families.

Justice for them will be justice for all Filipinos.

Let me end this with some excerpts from an interview with Glen Dumlao.

*****

Recent Developments on Dacer-Corbito Case Unmasking Persecution vs Me

2009-09-17T21:58:00.000-07:00

Recent revelations in the Dacer-Corbito double murder are slowly but surely unmasking administration attempts to use the case to persecute him, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson said Friday.

With the developments, Lacson voiced hopes the Department of Justice will finally wake up to the reality that the preliminary investigation it is pursuing against him is irrelevant.

“I now believe the saying ‘The truth shall set us free.’ It is becoming clear the efforts to link me to the case stemmed from Malacañang, through then Presidential Security Group chief Romeo Prestoza,” he said.

“I hope the DOJ wakes up and realizes its preliminary investigation against me is irrelevant,” he added.

On Thursday, former police Senior Superintendent Cezar Mancao II testified before a Manila court that Prestoza, then a colonel heading the Presidential Security Group (PSG), offered him financial support and relocation abroad in exchange for fabricated statements against Lacson.

Mancao admitted that while he was in the United States in September 2007, a man claiming to be Pres/toza called him up and offered him financial support and relocation in Singapore.

Prestoza also offered Mancao education support for his children, all in exchange for false statements against Lacson, but Mancao refused the offers.

Lacson also noted earlier this year he received a text message from Mancao in January 2008 detailing Prestoza’s offer. Lacson said Mancao even told him to “Sleep soundly, sir.”

Also earlier this week, former police Senior Superintendent Glenn Dumlao said in a television interview former President Joseph Estrada was behind the murders.

“This administration is using all foul and underhanded tactics to silence me for exposing its sins. But those had failed to stop me then, they will not stop me now. I will continue to investigate the sins that Mrs. Arroyo and her family have committee against the nation,” Lacson said.

o0o

Ang Dalawang Mukha ng Sining

2009-09-14T01:46:00.001-07:00

Privilege Speech Delivered by
SENATOR PANFILO M. LACSON
September 14, 2009

In Greek drama, masks were useful devices that allow the actor to play several different characters.

In the Philippine political drama, nothing much differs.

Mr. President, distinguished colleagues. Today, I rise on a matter of personal and collective privilege.

The great American writer Elbert Green Hubbard once wrote:

If you work for a man, in heaven’s name work for him.... If you must vilify, condemn, and eternally disparage, resign your position, and when you are OUTSIDE, DAMN TO YOUR HEART’S CONTENT, but as long as you are part of the institution do not condemn it. If you do that, you are loosening the tendrils that are holding you to that institution, and at the first high wind that comes along, you will be uprooted and blown away, and will probably never know the reason why.

I hope you will understand why it has taken me this long to unburden myself of the truth I carry.

Having once been a professional soldier trained in the tradition and practice of institutional and even personal loyalty, only the higher interest of nation and people, and the highest call of conscience, impel me to speak out.

Mr. President, you, more than any of us in this hall, understand what I mean.

When you went through the gut-wrenching crucible of mutiny against your commander-in-chief on February 22, 1986, you had to choose between loyalty to person against loyalty to the higher interest of nation and people.

Jose Ejercito, or Joseph Estrada, also known as Jose Velarde, former president of the Republic of the Philippines and the first and only head of state of this country to be impeached by Congress was elected in 1998 with the highest number of votes cast by the Filipino people ever.

He also won by the biggest margin ever, over his closest opponent, Jose de Venecia Jr.

His campaign slogan –Erap para sa Mahirap – was a masterpiece, almost a stroke of genius.

Before he ran for the presidency, I worked with him closely as head of an anti-crime task force of the defunct Presidential Anti-Crime Commission formed by then President Fidel Valdez Ramos to combat the kidnapping scourge that was gripping the country.

Foreign investors were avoiding us, while local businessmen, especially the ethnic Chinese, were transferring elsewhere.

It was one big security and even economic threat that faced the newly elected president in 1992.

I joined then Vice President Estrada on August 4, 1992, after a short-lived stint as provincial director of Laguna in the Southern Tagalog region.

I gladly accepted the offer to join PACC since I was not happy anyway with my Laguna assignment.

I was consistently at loggerheads with most of the local elective officials when I waged a no-nonsense, uncompromising battle against the illegal numbers game, jueteng, in that jurisdiction.

Needless to say, those officials who were on the take from jueteng operators hated my guts and wanted me out of the province at first opportunity.

At the PACC, and it is a matter of public record, we scored high in our anti-crime efforts. In less than a year, we brought down an alarmingly high incidence of kidnap-for-ransom cases to zero.

Literally, zero.

This was highlighted by the neutralization of the dreaded Red Scorpion Group on February 17, 1993.

Modesty aside, but without mental reservation, I can dare say our performance helped chart Mr. Estrada’s road to the presidency.

More than a couple of years before the May 1998 presidential elections, he was virtually a president-in-waiting.

Mr. Estrada impressed me with the way he handled his subordinates. He personally took care of our needs, always mindful of our safety and security.

He also managed to personally thank and commend all the operatives for a good day’s work, even giving incentives after big accomplishments

It was his personal recommendation to then President Ramos that earned me my first star rank in 1994, way ahead of my peers and even senior officers in the Philippine National Police.

During our private conversations, he would tell me:

“Alam mo Ping, kung matitigil lang ang katiwalian sa ating bansa, siguradong maiaangat natin mula sa kahirapan ang karamihan ng ating mga kababayan. Napakalaki kasi ang nawawala sa budget dahil sa ‘corruption’, kaya hindi tayo makaahon sa hirap.”

Having been born to poor parents myself, he struck me as the man our country needed to lead our people.

Needless to say, I was impressed.

I would tell my men and as many people I could reach, “Kung mahal natin ang ating bansa, si Erap ang dapat nating maging susunod na presidente at wala nang iba.”

I put those words into action during the presidential campaign in 1998.

Under pain of being accused of electioneering, I mustered all the men I had worked with in the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to mount an organized strategic effort to thwart election fraud as that could be the only way to prevent Mr. Estrada’s victory in the 1998 presidential election.

My men and I went around the whole country - Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, talked to as many field commanders and chiefs of police, so that they would not allow themselves to be used as instruments to cheat Mr Estrada out of sure victory.

In one of our visits in Mindanao, I met with then Southcom Chief Lt. Gen. Joselin Nazareno.

I brought him to Vice President Estrada to make his personal commitment to guard the votes in Mindanao and made Mr Estrada promise to consider him as the next AFP Chief of Staff when he becomes president.

He did not just promise to consider. He committed the post to Gen. Nazareno.

So Erap became president, all right.

After his victory in May 1998, he started making announcements for possible appointments to key positions in his government.

One not-so-fine afternoon, he summoned me to his Polk St. Greenhills residence and asked if he could appoint another ranking general as AFP Chief of Staff, instead of Gen. Nazareno.

I told him, that was his prerogative as incoming commander-in-chief, but firmly reminded him that a promise was made to Gen. Nazareno.

His sudden amnesia got me to start thinking, “something could be wrong with the character of this man.”

This thought came again sometime in early June of 1998.

He called me to talk about what I thought would be my possible appointment as Chief, PNP.

Instead, he expressed his thoughts on jueteng and how he intended to deal with it during his presidency.

He said: “Ping, iniisip ko, pagbigyan na lang natin itong jueteng. Alam mo, ang mga governors at mayors, lalo na ‘yung mga tumulong sa akin sa eleksyon, wala sila ng katulad sa President’s social fund na galing sa Pagcor. Marami silang gastusin at sa jueteng lang nila pwedeng kunin ang pera.”

Shocked and surprised, I retorted, “Sir, ilegal ‘yan. Saka presidente na kayo. Dapat huwag na kayong makialam sa jueteng. Larong lupa pati iyan. Sasabog kayo diyan at masisira tayo pareho.

Visibly dismayed and irritated, he said, “Sige, saka na lang tayo mag-usap.”

He walked me to the main door of his house and used another tack: “Saka, Ping, ‘yung mga tao natin dati sa task force, gusto ko rin silang bigyan ng monthly allowance.”

To which I quickly replied: “Sir, ang mga tao natin, kami lahat, mababaw lang ang kaligayahan namin. Kahit additional subsistence allowance lang, happy na kami.”

Hiding his irritation, he gave me a quick and curt goodbye.

Finally on November 16, 1999, I was appointed Chief, PNP. But only after persistent second thoughts from the appointing authority.

On November 15 of the same year, I received a call from his cohort, Mr. Jaime Dichavez, who was, at that time, with Mr. Estrada in Tagaytay Highlands in Cavite.

Mr. Dichavez told me I was to be informed of my appointment as Chief, PNP.

It did not turn out to be that simple.

In the living room of the Tagaytay resthouse, he told me very seriously: “Ping, dapat pagbigyan natin ang operation ng jueteng. Maraming umaasa diyan.”

“Eto na naman kami,” I said to myself.

By that time, I had realized jueteng had always been the deal breaker in getting my impending appointment and must be the reason why I was not appointed in June of 1998.

Maintaining my immovable position that I cannot, as we must not, tolerate anything that is illegal, he asked, “Sino ba ang mas senior sa inyo ni Wycoco?” (referring to the late NBI director, Reynaldo Wycoco), to which I answered, “Kung seniority sir sa PMA (Philippine Military Academy), siya, dahil una siyang nag-graduate. Pero ngayon, pareho lang kaming 2-star general, sir.”

He did not appoint me right there, instead instructed me to follow his convoy back to Malacañang in Metro Manila.

It was in Malacañang, that same evening, that he finally informed me of my appointment to the position, but not without his “huling hirit sa jueteng.”

It was also during that conversation when I told him I was aware of the monthly P5 Million “S.O.P.” being given by Gov. Chavit Singson to the Chief, PNP as part of an organized payola, and that I was waiving it, therefore would not accept it.

Three or four months after my assumption of office, I learned that Mr. Estrada asked Gov. Singson to remit to him retroactively the monies intended for the Chief, PNP.

He told Gov. Singson: “Gov, baka akala mo, hindi ko alam na hindi kinukuha ng bagong Chief,PNP ang para sa kanya. Ibigay mo rin sa akin ‘yan.”

After all the internal reforms that I instituted in the PNP were in place, including my “no-take policy, anti-kotong campaign, 34-inch maximum waistline, strong anti-crime and anti-drugs campaign, proper allocation and downloading of funds, and logistics to front-line units, I started training my guns on the illegal numbers game – jueteng.

It was a no-nonsense, no-matter-who-gets-hurt kind of a campaign.

I thought if I was hard on lowly policemen who stopped mulcting P100 or P200 from vegetable dealers and hapless taxi cab and jeepney drivers out of deference to my no-take policy, I should be as hard, if not harder, against my regional and provincial directors who were raking in millions of pesos from gambling operators.

This was when my life started to become miserable.

The general public, even most of my distinguished colleagues in this hall, may not be aware of this, but it was common knowledge in Malacañang as well as in Camp Crame at that time, that for the most part of the second half of the year 2000, I was not welcome in the palace due to my differences with then President Estrada over the issue of jueteng.

Mr. Estrada had unofficially declared me persona non grata in the palace grounds.

I was practically in the doghouse for an unusually extended period of time. Mr. Estrada would not talk to me.

He was dealing directly with my subordinate officers, both at the PAOCTF and the PNP, which I both headed in concurrent capacity.

I could not even report to him about major incidents like the bombings in Mindanao because he was no longer answering my calls, which he used to do, and in earnest.

“Anak ng jueteng na buhay ito!” I would tell my close friends.

Jueteng became a sore point between me and Mr. Estrada. I made it clear that I would stick to my “no-take policy” and I continued to issue stern warnings to my regional and provincial directors that if they tolerate jueteng operations in their areas of responsibility, they would be removed and subjected to harsh disciplinary action.

At least one regional director who had direct and strong connections with Mr Estrada was defiant.

When I confronted him, he said, “Napagalitan ako ni presidente nang simulan ko ang kampanya laban sa jueteng dito. Sino ba ang susundin ko, Chief, PNP o ang Commander-in-Chief?”

I was successful in instituting reforms in the PNP because Mr. Estrada gave me full authority which I asked in the first place when I got appointed to the post.

But because of jueteng, Mr Estrada, issued a written memorandum to then Secretary of Interior and Local Government Alfredo Lim, effectively taking away from me the authority to appoint and remove police officials down to provincial director level.

“Hindi nga talaga mahina ang ulo ng presidenteng ito,” I told myself. By removing that authority, I could no longer discipline my officers, I would fail in my anti-gambling operations and worse, I would definitely fail in my mission.

Resigning my position crossed my mind then. I spent many sleepless nights agonizing over my situation.

In one of our Cluster E Cabinet meetings held in the office of the DFA, then AFP Chief of Staff Gen Angelo Reyes took pity on me and gave his advice, “Pare, Commander-in-Chief natin ‘yan. Pagbigyan mo na muna ngayon at saka ninyo na lang pag-usapan ang problema ninyo ni Presidente.”

I answered him, “Sir, question de prinsipyo ito. Ako ang nasa tama sa labang ito. Tanggalin na lang n’ya ako, pero hindi ako bibigay dito.”

I found out later that indeed Mr. Estrada had started gathering legal basis to justify my relief.

On hindsight, people close to Mr. Estrada and this representation would say as an afterthought - EDSA 2 could not have happened had Mr Estrada listened to General Lacson’s consistent advice on jueteng. Simple.

But on the other hand, EDSA 2 would not have happened if I went along with Mr. Estrada and Gov. Singson and altogether tolerated jueteng operations.

Why?

Bingo 2-Ball would not have been conceived to legalize jueteng.

We all know that it was during its implementation that there was a misunderstanding and falling out between Mr. Estrada and Chavit Singson.

Mr. Estrada realized that I would not waver on my stand against jueteng and thought that by legalizing it, I would not have any more reason to conduct raids and operations.

Jueteng is just one illustrative insight into the character of Mr. Estrada as a government official, and as President of the country. There were other sinister behavioral patterns that must be told to the Filipino people.

Sa likod ng isang maka-mahirap na Joseph Estrada na mahal na mahal ng masa, ay maraming transaksyon na may kasamang pang-aabuso, gamit ang kapangyarihang kaagapay ng pagiging pangulo ng bansa, upang magkamal ng maraming salapi para sa sariling kapakanan.

In August 1998, in the early part of Mr. Estrada’s abbreviated presidency, Mr. Alfonso Yuchengco was pressured to sign conveyance of his 7.75% PTIC (Philippine Telecommunications Investment Corporation) holdings, equivalent to 18,720 shares to Metro Pacific, represented by Manuel V. Pangilinan.

These PTIC holdings correspond to 2,017,650 PLDT common shares.

Mr. Yuchengco, I also learned later, was pressed to sign a waiver of his right of first refusal over the PTIC shares of the Cojuangco-Meer group.

It was only after the passage of many years that I was to learn that Mr. Estrada, barely two months in office then, used the PNP to harass Mr. Yuchengco’s son, Tito, with threat of arrest on some trumped-up drug charges to force his father, Mr. Yuchengco to sell.

This harassment of the young man was accomplished through deliberate and obvious physical surveillance.

“Napag-alaman ko na matagal tagal ding may kimkim na galit daw sa akin ang pamilyang Yuchengco sa dahilang ang pagkaalam nila ay sa akin iniutos ni Mr Estrada ang panggigipit sa kanila upang mapwersang magbenta ng kanilang pag-aaring shares of stocks ng PLDT.

Sa inyo, Ginoong Pangulo ng Senado, mga pinagpipitaganan kong kasamahan at sampu ng pamilya Yuchengco -- wala po akong kamalay-malay sa pangyayaring iyan.

At kung halimbawa mang sa akin iniutos ni Mr Estrada ang gawaing iyon, ay siguradong hindi ko po susundin.”

The bigger and more important question remains - “What was the deal in pesos and centavos between Mr Estrada and Mr Pangilinan, if any?”

Or, should we rather ask, “How much was involved?”

Sa larangan naman ng smuggling sa Customs at sa iba pang lugar ay hindi rin masusukat ang kakayahan ni Mr. Estrada.

When Mr. Estrada transferred the mission of going after smugglers from the late Lt Gen. Jose Calimlim’s unit in PSG to the PAOCTF, he gave me the mandate to go hammer and tongs against smugglers.

Yet one morning, I received a call from Mr. Estrada. “May mga tao ka raw na nangha-harass sa Customs,” he said with a low tone.

After checking with my officers, I replied, “Wala sila sir sa loob ng Customs zone kaya imposibleng makapang-harass sila doon. Nandun sila sa labas, malapit sa Manila Hotel at may inaabangan na ilulusot na shipments ng dressed chicken parts from China and the US.”

He bellowed, “Basta i-pull out mo!”

A few days later in a light conversation on the topic of smuggling, inside his office in Malacañang, I told Mr. Estrada, “Alam mo sir, dalawampung 40-foot containers sana ng dressed chickens ang nahuli natin kung hindi mo iniutos i-pull out ang mga tao natin.”

With a mocking voice, he said, “Sana hindi kayo nag-pull out.”

Akala ko, nang bigyan ako ng kautusang lipulin ang mga smugglers sa pier, totoong-totoo at seryoso. Ako namang si gago, trabaho lang ng trabaho. ‘Yun pala, moro-moro.

May dalawang mukha nga ba ang sining? O, sa likod ng putting tabing ay ibang itsura ng mukha ang nakatago?

Pagkatapos ng manok na galing sa Tsina at Amerika, dumako naman tayo sa bigas na tanim ng Vietcong.

Sometime in August 2000, when Mr. Estrada was hardly talking to me, on account of my hard-headedness on the issue of jueteng, he was giving a direct order to one of my subordinate officers in PAOCTF to release a shipload of smuggled rice that was apprehended somewhere in the Cebu-Bohol area.

The PAOCTF officer was with me in Cebu during that time, and he was relaying to me the President’s order.

I did not bother to find out anymore if the officer complied or not with Mr. Estrada’s order.

I thought I should not interfere with a direct order coming from the President to a subordinate officer because in doing so I felt that it would add insult to injury upon myself.

Sadly, because we never punish smugglers, the same people who sabotaged our economy during the Estrada regime are the same saboteurs in bed with the present dispensation.

Walang nagbago, lalo lang lumaki ang komisyon at lagayan.

In an effort to defend himself from accusations that he may have been involved in the Dacer-Corbito double murder case, he has consistently asserted that he never dealt with officials other than the heads of agencies.

Yet, on so many occasions, and I have personal knowledge on this, during his presidency, he was giving direct orders and instructions deep into the layers of the entire government bureaucracy, the PNP and the PAOCTF included.

And those who have worked with him in Malacañang know whereof I speak.

Mr. Estrada had the temerity to issue a press statement that I was the one who knew and in fact supervised what former police officer Cezar Mancao had testified in court as “Operation or Oplan Delta”, allegedly a special operations plan designed to neutralize Salvador “Bubby” Dacer.

Mabuti pa si Mr. Estrada, alam niyang may “Oplan Delta.” Ako, sa mga pahayagan at kamakailan ko lamang narinig at nalaman na mayroon palang “Oplan Delta.”

Sa halip na i-depensa na lang niya ang sarili niya, bakit siya kailangang magturo ng iba?

Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, maraming bagay-bagay na sa abot ng aking natuklasan, matapos ang aking sariling pagsasaliksik at pag-iimbestiga hindi lamang sa usaping ito kundi pati ibang kasong maaring kinasangkutan ni Ginoong Estrada ang nais kong ibahagi sa kapulungang ito.

Marami din akong gustong itanong kay Mr. Estrada:

1. Sino ang inutusan mo para i-harass at gipitin ang pamilya ni Al Yuchengco?

2. Sino ang tumawag sa iyo para utusan ako na i-pull out ang mga tao kong nakaabang na hulihin ang smuggled chicken parts?

3. Kaninong shipment ng smuggled rice ang ipina-release mo sa Cebu?

4. At higit sa lahat, anu-ano pa ang mga iniutos mo sa ating mga dating tauhan sa PAOCTF na lingid sa aking kaalaman?

But for now and today, I will limit the subject of my privilege speech to the issues I mentioned.

Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, with your indulgence, please allow me to take the floor once again on Monday next week.

For former President Joseph Ejercito-Estrada, there is no corruption if it does not involve government funds.

Therefore, following his flawed logic, it is not corruption to accept bribes - from jueteng and some shady deals that involve using the power and influence of the presidency.

He has not heard of ‘conflict of interest’ nor taking advantage of one’s position to amass wealth.

He has not changed that loose definition of corruption.

In media interviews and in his conversations with friends and associates, he maintains that he had not done anything wrong since all his transactions while he was president did not involve government funds.

Now he is presenting himself again to the Filipino people, for one more chance at the presidency.

At this juncture of our history, after suffering eight years of unmitigated corruption under the regime which succeeded the Estrada presidency, I would be remiss in my sworn duties as an elected member of the Senate, as a nationally elected official of the land, if I did not unburden myself of my insights into the character of Mr. Estrada.

Marahil may mga magsasabi na sa mga binigkas ko ngayon ay hindi ako marunong tumanaw ng utang na loob, lalo na sa pangulong siyang naghirang sa akin.

Ngunit hindi naman din matatawaran ang naibahagi kong tulong, sampu ng aking mga tauhan, sa kanyang katanyagan nung siya ay nanunungkulang bise-presidente at bilang Chairman ng Presidential Anti-Crime Commission.

Ang mas mahalaga ay pairalin ang marapat at matuwid.

At lalong mahalaga na gawing kataas-taasang adhikain ang kapakanan at kinabukasan ng mamamayang Pilipino.

God save the Philippines from Joseph Ejercito alias Joseph Estrada.

*****

Statement on Mancao's Claims

2009-09-03T02:13:00.000-07:00

Either Mancao deliberately lied under oath or he didn't know what he was talking about in court. I am sorry for him. While I can understand the tremendous pressure being applied by this administration on him, he should at least stick to the truth and respect his oath by stating only the facts and not hearsays and his opinion.

For the nth time, I maintain my innocence and even absence of knowledge pertaining to the Dacer-Corbito case.

o0o

Statement on the Death of Iglesia ni Cristo Executive Minister Eraño G. Manalo

2009-09-01T01:56:00.000-07:00

I commiserate with the faithful on the passing of the pillar and the executive minister of the Iglesia ni Cristo, Eraño G. Manalo.

For the last five decades, he showed the strength of his faith and dedication to continue his father’s vocation. He inspired charity for the poor, and encouraged others to do the same.

His passing has made us orphans but we are consoled by the legacy of his actions and the constancy of his church.

I extend my profound sympathies.

o0o

Prayer delivered at the start of Senate session, Sept. 1, 2009

2009-09-01T01:55:00.001-07:00

Ama Naming Makapangyarihan:

Sa kanyang pagpanaw at pagpasok sa iyong Kaharian, Ama naming Makapangyarihan, hiling namin na Iyong kalingain ang aming minamahal at iginagalang na Ka Eraño Manalo.

Nawa'y panatilihin Mong buhay ang kanyang mabuting halimbawa sa puso at isipan ng sambayanan.

Marapatin mong ipagpatuloy namin, kasama ng buong Iglesia, ang kanyang mga nasimulan na adhikain at mapagyaman nawa namin ang kanyang iniwang aral at pamantayan sa tungkulin at pananampalataya.

Sa iyong ngalan, ito ang hiling namin. Amen.

o0o

Lacson Eyes Disbarment vs Mancao Lawyer over 'Script'

2009-08-26T20:56:00.001-07:00

Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson is mulling lodging a disbarment complaint and a civil suit against the lawyer of former Senior Superintendent Cezar Mancao II for foisting a “script” on his client to implicate personalities in the Dacer-Corbito case.

Lacson said lawyer Ferdinand Topacio showed malice when he put a spin on Mancao’s testimony on the case before the Manila Regional Trial Court Wednesday.

“Once I get hold of the transcript from the Manila RTC, I am contemplating on filing criminal and administrative charges against Topacio. As a lawyer, he should respect the code of ethics of his profession. Needless to say, and for the nth time, I have nothing to do with the Dacer-Corbito case,” Lacson said.

According to a newspaper report, Topacio said Wednesday that Mancao confirmed before the court the contents of his affidavit on the existence of “Operation Delta” and his role in the case. He said Mancao also told the court that Lacson, then chief of the Philippine National Police, received direct orders from Malacañang to “neutralize” Dacer.

But Lacson said Topacio’s claims smacked of a “script” that he wanted Mancao to follow during the court proceedings. He said Topacio should at least refrain from putting words in Mancao’s mouth when speaking to media.

“Let the court transcript of the proceeding speak for itself. Atty. Topacio, with apparent malice and intent to deceive the public mentioned in the media interview yesterday some statements that he attributed to Mancao, which were never testified to in the first place. Yun bang mga salitang binitiwan ni Topacio sa media na taliwas sa totoong nangyari ang ‘script’ na gusto nilang sundin ni Mancao (Was what Topacio told media part of a deceptive ‘script’ they tried to follow)?” Lacson said.

Lacson also questioned Topacio’s double standard for insisting on implicating him in the Dacer-Corbito case based on the “uncorroborated” testimony of Mancao. Yet, he said that in the killing of Ruby Rose Barrameda, Topacio defended his clients, the defendants in the case, by questioning the charges that he claimed were based on an uncorroborated statement.

“Is it not bad to contradict yourself when it suits your clients? Topacio should show some decency. But he should explain, why did he tell media something that his client did not say in court?” he said.

o0o

Sponsorship Speech for SB 3392 (Exempting Local Water Districts from Income Tax)

2009-08-19T22:42:00.000-07:00

By Hon. Panfilo M. Lacson
Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means
August 19, 2009

Mr. President:

Constitutional Provisions
Paragraph (1), Section 28, Article VI of the 1987 Constitution provides that: “The rule of taxation shall be uniform and equitable. The Congress shall evolve a progressive system of taxation.”

While on July 27, 2009, our tax lawyer expert Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, in opening the Third Regular Session of Congress said: “I urge my colleagues in this Senate and the leaders of the country to reassess our fiscal policies and economic objectives, and devise more creative ways and means to stimulate and hasten the momentum of business and industry in the country, instead of simply looking at taxing the people more. Otherwise, the result might be worse than just economic stagnation.

Guided by the constitutional precepts as well as the wise advise of the Senate President, your Committee on Ways and Means technically and ably back-up by the Senate Tax Study and Research Office (STSRO) has the honor to report back to this august body, Senate Bill 3392 under Committee Report No. 551, entitled: AN ACT GRANTING INCOME TAX EXEMPTION TO LOCAL WATER DISTRICTS, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 27(C) OF THE NATIONAL INTERNAL REVENUE CODE, AS AMENDED

The Committee bill which is a product of a public hearing on April 21, 2009 and a public consultation on May 29 2009 at Cebu City is in substitution of the following measures: House Bill No. 5210, introduced by Representative Antonino-Custodio, Angara, et. al, entitled: AN ACT AMENDING SECTIONS 27, 30, 34, 108 AND 109 OF THE NATIONAL INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1997, AS AMENDED; Senate Bill No. 3152, introduced by this representation, entitled: AN ACT EXEMPTING LOCAL WATER DISTRICTS FROM INCOME TAX AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 27(C) OF THE NATIONAL INTERNAL REVENUE CODE, AS AMENDED; and Senate Joint Resolution No. 24, introduced by Senator Escudero, entitled: A JOINT RESOLUTION INCLUDING LOCAL WATER DISTRICTS WITHIN THE APPLICATION, COVERAGE AND SCOPE OF SECTION 32(b)(7)(b) OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8424 BEING THE LEGISLATIVE INTENT MEANT AND APPROVED BY CONGRESS IN PASSING THE SAID LAW.

Problems in Water Resources
Based on a study entitled Philippine Water Supply Sector Roadmap 2008-2010 (Secretariat’s Report), our country is endowed with abundant water resources but it is currently confronted with difficulties in meeting its water needs, expansion of capacity and connecting poor households to the water supply system. The study concluded that the magnitude of the problem is nothing short of alarming in the context of sustainable and equitable access to water supply. There is an overlapping challenge to meet present needs while ensuring long-term availability of safe water factoring annual increase in demand. Rapid population growth, economic development, urbanization, and industrialization have taken their toll on the country’s water services and resource base.

The government is saddled with fiscal constraints affecting level of public capital expenditures in the water supply sector. This is exacerbated by problems of cost recovery in existing public water utilities, tariff regulation and over taxation to the local water districts.

The Provisions of the 1997 Tax Code
Thus, after public hearing and consultations and careful study on the 478 operational local water districts in the country, serving 2.6 million households or about 15 million, SNo. 3392 proposes to include local water districts (LWDs) in the short list of government agencies exempt from payment of the corporate income tax as imposed under Section 27(C) of the Tax Reform Act of 1997.

Said section of the Tax Code provides for the exemption from income tax of government-owned or -controlled corporations (GOCCs), agencies or instrumentalities such as the GSIS, the SSS, Philhealth, and the PCSO.

The 1997 Tax Reform Act, provided relief to GOCCs, agencies or instrumentalities of the government but not to the local water districts.

BIR’s Interpretations of the Tax Code
Interpreting Section 27(C) of the Tax Code, The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) issued several Revenue Memorandum Circulars which required local water districts to pay corporate income tax and franchise taxes due between 1996 and 2002.

On the other hand, interpreting the same provision of the law, the BIR granted income tax exemption to the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) as well as the National Power Corporation (NaPoCor) on the basis of these entities being public utilities.

Worthy to note, Mr. President, the Department of Justice in its Decision dated March 29, 2006 in the case of Camarines Norte Water District vs. BIR Case No. OSJ-2005-03 ruled that local water districts are exempt from payment of income tax under Sec. 32(B)(7)(b), of the Tax Code, since they are no different from Napocor or MWSS. The decision was contested by the BIR before the Court of Tax Appeals.

Thus, Mr. President, SNo. 3392 seeks to remedy this inequity which has continued to hamper the growth of local water districts, undermining their momentum for long-term viability as local water districts perform their mandate to adequately provide the citizenry with the most fundamental of all human needs --- potable water.

Cart Wheeling Policies on LWDs
Records would show that between 1973 up to the present, local water districts were subject to changing income tax regimes.

PD No. 198, otherwise known as the Provincial Water Utilities Act of 1973, considered the charter of the local water districts provides in Section 48 thereof, the exemption of local water districts from national and local taxes, as well as duties on importation and all fees and charges.

Under PD 198, local water districts were considered quasi-public corporations.

However, in 1986 under E.O. No. 93, the Executive Order withdrew the tax and duty privileges of local water districts.

On August 14, 1991, during the 8th Congress, RA No. 7109, entitled “AN ACT GRANTING TAX EXEMPTION PRIVILEGES TO LOCAL WATER DISTRICTS” was enacted into law.

Under RA 7109, all water districts created pursuant to PD No. 198 were exempt from the payment of: (1) income taxes; (2) franchise taxes; (3) duties and taxes on imported machinery, equipment and materials required for its operations; and, (4) real property taxes.

It must be pointed out that said tax exemption was enjoyed only by the local water districts for a period of five (5) years or until 1996.

Also under RA 7109, all unpaid taxes and duties or any portion thereof due from a local water district for the period starting October 15, 1984 until the effectivity of the law were condoned.

In 1992, the Supreme Court in GR 962637-38 ruled that local water districts are government-owned and –controlled corporations subject to COA, CSC and DBM rules and regulations.

Mr. President as mentioned earlier, the passage of the 1997 Tax Code provided relief from the income tax to GOCCs, agencies or instrumentalities but not to local water districts.

Basis for the Tax Exemption of the Local Water Districts
Thus, after careful study and considering all factors, your Committee on Ways and Means, recommends to include the local water districts in the ambit of tax-exempt government entities under Section 27(C) based on the following reasons:

LWDs are definitely government-owned and –controlled corporations.

LWDs are definitely public utilities.

The 1997 Tax Code expressly exempts from gross income that is derived by the government or its political subdivision in its exercise of any essential governmental function; and,

Income derived by LWDs as public utilities accrue to the Government of the Philippines or to any of its political subdivision.

Tax Savings
Mr. President, to put safeguard on tax savings of the local water districts, Section 2 of Senate Bill 3392 provides that: “The amount that would have been paid as income tax and saved by the local water district by virtue of its exemption to the income taxes shall be used by the local water district concerned for capital equipment expenditure in order to expand water services coverage and improve water quality in order to provide safe and clean water in the provinces, cities, and municipalities. Provided, That the water district shall adopt internal control reforms that would bring about their economic and financial viability. Provided further, That the water district shall not increase by more than twenty percent (20%) a year its appropriation for personal services, as well as for travel, transportation or representation expenses and purchase of motor vehicle.”

The tax savings will be used for capital development expenditure in order to address access to potable water of our people.

Waterless Regions
As of 2000, water supply coverage in eleven (11) administrative regions was below 50% of the population (see Table 1) of the fifteen (15) administrative regions, only five (5) namely: Metro Manila, Northern Mindanao, Cordillera Administrative Region, Southern Tagalog, and, Eastern Visayas had more than 50% water supply coverage.

Table 1. Waterless Regions (NSO 2000)

Region Name Total Population Pop. Covered Coverage Rank “Waterless”
CAR Cordillera Administrative Region 1,365,412 834,686 61.13% 2
I Ilocos 4,200,478 1,080,846 25.73% 14 Yes
II Cagayan Valley 2,813,159 526,741 18.72% 15 Yes
III Central Luzon 8,030,945 3,485,699 43.40% 10 Yes
IV Southern Tagalog 11,793,655 6,146,765 52.12% 4
V Bicol 4,686,669 1,964,915 41.93% 11 Yes
VI Western Visayas 6,211,038 1,735,210 27.94% 13 Yes
VII Central Visayas 5,706,953 2,640,134 46.26% 7 Yes
VIII Eastern Visayas 3,610,355 1,845,463 51.12% 5
IX Western Mindanao 3,091,208 1,356,320 43.88% 8 Yes
X Northern Mindanao 2,747,585 1,608,419 58.54% 3
XI Southern Mindanao 5,189,335 2,261,291 43.58% 9 Yes
XII Central Mindanao 2,598,210 867,302 33.38% 12 Yes
CARAGA CARAGA 2,095,367 1,036,929 49.49% 6 Yes
ARMM Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao 2,412,159 436,480 18.09% 16 Yes
NCR National Capital Region 9,932,560 7,456,038 75.07%
TOTAL 76,485,088 35,283,239 46.13%

The Need To Provide Access To Water
Mr. President, an independent estimate made by Moore (2006, in PWSR 2006) cites 80% coverage with 67% having piped connection. Currently, the proportion of the Philippine population with formal access to safe drinking water is around 79% distributed as follows: 44% with individual house connections, 10% with shared connections through communal faucets and 25% relying on shared point sources without distribution (WB 2005). The extent of access through informal sources is not clearly known. What is known is that households without formal access cope with the gap by self-provision (e.g., private wells) or by accessing services of informal provides such as small-scale independent providers (SSIPs), entrepreneurs with water tankers or neighborhood water vendors. Piped water supply (Level III) is provided by 5741 water districts, 9 private operators, 1,000 LGU-run utilities or through CBOs and an undetermined number of SSIPs in middle and upper class subdivisions. Shared water supply consists of two levels. Point sources (Level 1) are provided by 3,100 Barangay Water and Sanitation Associations (BWSAs) and about 200 water cooperatives while communal faucet systems (Level II) are provided by around 500 Rural Water and Sanitation Associations (RWSAs).

The Water Roadmap
Mr. President, the passage of SNo. 3392 is in line with the Philippine Water Supply Sector Roadmap (Roadmap). With our concerted action on this bill, this will be Congress’ contribution to the Roadmap.

The Roadmap sets the direction to help the country meet the sector’s challenges and intended objectives by 2010 in line with the targets defined by the 2004-2010 Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) and 2015 Millenium Development Goals. In the longer term, the Roadmap also aims to ensure adequate long-term availability and accessibility of potable water and sustainable management of water.

Goal number seven of the UN Millenium Development Goals clearly articulates the need to integrate principles of sustainable development into country programs and policies, reverse loss of environmental resources, reduce by half the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe water and sanitation, and to provide significant improvement in the lives of at least 100,000,000 slum dwellers by year 2020.

Thus, the passage of the bill under consideration is a small step towards achieving this goal.

The Foregone Revenue
Mr. President, the foregone revenue from the Government is estimated between 650 million to 700 million pesos. However, as provided in the bill, the annual revenue losses can be recouped from the expansion and capital development expenditures of the local water districts. In the long run, this strategy of your Committee seeks to respond to the reality that water scarcity and misuse pose threats to sustainable development and environment.

Basic Principles In Water
In closing, allow me to spread in the Senate records, the ten basic principles that respond to the reality that water is scarce:

Water is human right and the government has an obligation to respect, protect and fulfill the enjoyment of the right to water.

Water is a finite and vulnerable resource, essential to sustain life development and the environment. It should be managed for the common good.

Access to water should be equitable and sensitive to gender and the disadvantaged.

The governance of water resources should be transparent and socially accountable and its management should be decentralized at the lowest possible level.

Water supply services should be financially sustainable and socially acceptable.

Water supply services should be demand responsive. This includes appropriateness and viability of technology and management.

Water supply projects should have capacity development components at all levels inclusive of knowledge management that promotes a learning environment for all stakeholders.

Water supply provision should be a priority component in poverty reduction programs. This means giving priority to public allocation for water supply services.

Sanitation is directly linked to water supply.

The development of water supply sector should contribute to the promotion of gender equality.

Concluding Remarks
Mr. President, in view of the foregoing, I urge this Senate of the people to support the immediate passage of Senate Bill No. 3392, granting income tax exemption to local water districts nationwide, which would benefit millions of our people through better access to potable water.

Thank you.

*****

Lacson Pushes Passage of Measure Exempting Local Water Districts from Income Taxes

2009-08-19T19:16:00.000-07:00

More Filipinos, especially those in far-flung areas, may soon have better access to water, after Senator Panfilo M. Lacson pushed for the passage of a measure seeking to exempt local water districts from income taxes.

Lacson, who chairs the Senate Ways and Means Committee, said that while government may lose up to P700 million in foregone revenue, it is worth the chance for water utilities to expand and develop in the long run.

"The foregone revenue from the Government is estimated between P650 to 700 million. However, as provided in the bill, the annual revenue losses can be recouped from the expansion and capital development expenditures of the local water districts. In the long run, this strategy of your Committee seeks to respond to the reality that water scarcity and misuse pose threats to sustainable development and environment," he said in his sponsorship speech for the approval of Senate Bill 3392.

"The tax savings will be used for capital development expenditure in order to address access to potable water of our people," he added.

Lacson cited figures from 2000 indicating only 46.13 percent of the country's 76.485-million population have access to water.

Only Cordillera, Southern Luzon, Eastern Visayas, Western Mindanao and Metro Manila are not considered waterless, he noted.

A separate study in 2006 estimated that 79 percent of Filipinos have access to safe drinking water, including 44 percent with individual house connections, 10 percent with shared connections, and 25 percent relying on shared point sources.

Lacson also lamented that in the last 30-plus years, several laws were enacted either granting or withdrawing the tax exemption privileges of LWDs.

Also, he cited the 10 basic principles on water, which is considered as a human right and as a finite and vulnerable resource.

The principles also decree access to water should be equitable and sensitive to gender and the disadvantaged; governance of water resources should be transparent and socially accountable, and financially sustainable and socially acceptable; water supply services should be demand-responsive; water supply should be a priority in poverty reduction; sanitation is directly linked to water supply; and the development of water supply sector should contribute to promoting gender equality.

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Statement on the Death of former President Corazon C. Aquino

2009-07-31T18:59:00.000-07:00

I condole and offer my prayers to the passing of a leader of all generations, Mrs. Corazon Aquino, who until her remaining years continued to inspire and guide our countrymen towards the ideals of public service and the true essence of democracy.

Marahil ay sadyang nakaikibat na sa mag-asawang Ninoy at Cory ang responsibilidad na ipaglaban ang demokrasya para sa buong sambayanang Pilipino.

Let us consciously carry on her legacy for the sake of the country she very well loved.

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Statement on former President Corazon C. Aquino

2009-07-01T19:27:00.001-07:00

Few have contributed so much for the democratic space Filipinos now possess. Let us all pray for the turnaround of Cory’s condition and her recovery.

Now that the institutions of that democracy have been weakened by continuous and continuing assaults by the powers that be, all the more does the nation need her uncompromising faith in democracy and her unflinching advocacy for good governance.

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Lacson: Withhold Taxes to Protest Con-Ass

2009-06-15T22:16:00.000-07:00

Senator Panfilo M. Lacson today called on businessmen and even ordinary taxpayers to withhold paying their taxes until there are clear signs that proponents of Charter change via constituent assembly (Con-Ass) are abandoning their plans and that President Arroyo is stepping down from power next year.

“Aside from being a protest move, this would ensure that our taxes will be safe from the propensity of officials of this administration to perpetuate themselves to power by dipping their hands into government coffers,” Lacson said.

Lacson recalled that it was taxpayers’ money – from fertilizer and swine funds to Philhealth cards – which the Arroyo administration used in various forms of election cheating in the presidential elections of 2004 and in the national polls in 2007.

He added this “tax revolt” will also be a big help for business capitals at a time of economic recession which is expected to worsen later this year.

Lacson said businessmen may opt to hold on to their corporate dues until after the deadline of filing of certificates of candidacy in November, while income tax payers have until April next year to see if Con-Ass proponents would drop their push for Charter change.

He said that if Mrs. Arroyo is intent in running for Representative of her home province of Pampanga as strongly indicated by her political advisers and strategists in recent days, this would be clearly known by November as she has to file her certificate of candidacy.

“At that point, we can already see a brewing scheme not only to prolong her power stint but also to change our form of government,” Lacson said.

In the United States, he noted taxpayer groups went on a similar “tax revolt” to protest government spending on less essential programs earlier this year. The US is one of the hardest hit by the ongoing global recession.

In the event a new and acceptable President is elected, Lacson said corporate and income taxpayers will have the opportunity to show goodwill or reward the next dispensation or administration by renewing their payment of correct taxes.

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Statement Delivered at the ANC Leadership Forum, UP Diliman

2009-06-05T04:40:00.000-07:00

Thank you for this invitation to the second ANC Leadership Forum. Up until I made a decision last Sunday to retire myself from a race that would matter most in the lives of our beloved countrymen, I had every intention to share with our people my vision of what the Philippines ought to be in a Ping Lacson presidency.

Marahil sa huling pagkakataon, sa isang pagpupulong na tulad nito, nais kong ipabatid sa aking mga minamahal na kababayan na ang kahirapan at kawalan ng mga serbisyong pangkalusugan, edukasyon at seguridad ng mamamayan ay hindi mabibigyang lunas ng pamumudmod ng tulong mula sa mga pulitiko tuwing papalapit ang halalan; tulong na magaan at madaling ipamigay dahil madaling kinikita sa pamamagitan ng pagsasamantala sa kaban ng bayan.

My vision is clear as it is simple - the country's problem is government, bad government. The solution stares us right in the face of the problem itself. I believe that we need to discipline 1.5 million members of the civilian and military bureaucracy and imbue them with the right motivation and a sense of genuine public service. In short, if we hope to solve the problems of most of the 90 million Filipinos, we must set government right. This is the only way we can move forward as a country, and as a people.

But correcting government will not come easy if it does not start with the leader himself. One cannot discipline if one is unable to discipline oneself. One cannot preach clean government if one is himself on the take, or his relatives and cronies are themselves the thieves. If a president cannot lead by the power of good example, then governance will always be bad.

My vision for the Philippines is one where basic services are guaranteed, where health and education and public safety are prioritized, and no-nonsense government is instituted in all levels of the polity.

Sadly, what we have today is a feudal set-up foolishly labeled as democracy, where transactional politics is entrenched both in the bureaucracy and local government units; and where the poor are deluded into believing that throwing candies or giving instant noodles or occasional help in distress is the be-all and end-all of public service. In the grind for survival, the poor forget all too often that the occasional goodies they get are mere scraps from the tables of the immoderately greedy powerful who plunder public coffers, or abuse power for self-profit.

I have always maintained that if we doggedly and purposively set government right, the rest will follow. When people respect government, they pay the correct taxes and follow even the simplest of traffic rules.

Equal opportunity. Level playing field. To each a fair, fighting chance.

Patas na laban, para sa lahat.

But reaching out to the voters, particularly those in the D and E income levels, which altogether comprise some four-fifths of the population, does not come easy. It is most expensive in a political system which has neither strong institutions nor correct procedures.

Minsan ay sumagi na rin sa aking isipan na tanggapin na ang 200 milyong pisong pork barrel bawat taon para sa isang senador upang magamit at makasabay man lang sa isang magastos na pangangampanya. Nguni't, at mabuti na lamang, nanaig pa rin sa aking isipan na ipagpatuloy ang isang adhikain at paniniwala na higit sa ano pa mang bagay, mas mahalaga ang integridad sa isang tulad kong inihalal ng bayan upang maglingkod nang tapat at walang halong pag-iimbot.

The great Charles de Gaulle of France, who put order back in a land wracked by anarchy, once remarked that “in order to become the master, the politician poses as the servant”. Like his forebear Nostradamus, he might have foreseen the Philippine political scene of this generation.

But I refuse to lie. And I refuse to purvey make-believe storyboards and saturate the airwaves with fairy tales.

Even if I tried to communicate the truth to our people given the extremely limited resources that I could raise from well-meaning friends who have kept the faith, and believe as I do in my central advocacy of good governance and national discipline, the time has come to face the reality that the intent to lead in this land in order to do good, has become an enterprise only for those who have access to unlimited funds.

I bow to that reality, which is why I have chosen not to participate any more in this laudable forum of those who seek the presidency of the land. And I beg your favor that you read this message that springs from my heart.

To my loyal supporters and those who appreciated the kind of work ethic and purposive leadership I have demonstrated as a soldier, as the Chief of the Philippine National Police, and share the advocacies I have been fighting for as senator of the Republic --- beyond expression of my undying gratitude, I now pledge that I will continue my relentless battle for good governance; lonely and difficult this may be. Rest assured that in time, we will all join together to support a leader who could best deliver our people from the bondage they now suffer. That leader must have both the competence and character that are the preconditions to purposive leadership so imperative in these crossroads of the nation’s life.

And I appeal to the learned and the highly educated in our society to share their thoughts and help guide the vulnerable 80% of the Filipino electorate to vote wisely and conscientiously, not for their day to day personal needs, but for a country that we all love and care for.

Magkaisa po tayong tumulong sa isang taong batay sa karanasan at sa ugali, ay alam nating hindi magnanakaw at hindi gagamitin ang kapangyarihang hiram para magpasasa sa sariling interes.

Maraming salamat po. Mabuhay ang sambayanang Pilipino!

Gumagalang,

PING LACSON

Lacson Pushes Signing of Law Abolishing Documentary Stamp Tax

2009-05-26T23:36:00.000-07:00

The stock market may finally get a much-needed boost in its competitiveness amid the global financial crisis, once a measure abolishing documentary stamp taxes (DST) on secondary stock trades is signed into law.

Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson thus urged President Arroyo to sign soonest the measure, which he said promises to benefit local and foreign investors while improving the country's investment rating.

"The costs of investing in the local stock exchange rank among the highest compared with other markets. The high friction costs for securities trading in the Philippines contribute to the local stock market becoming less liquid and investors are discouraged from placing their money in the stock market," said Lacson, whose Senate committee on ways and means secured the approval of the measure in the Senate last Monday.

The House of Representatives passed its version of the measure last April.

Lacson earlier noted the DST had been a double tax of sorts on players in the stock market. He said the DOF computation showed government stands to lose some P1.3 billion while the PSE computation showed a loss of P1.09 billion if the documentary stamp tax is removed.

"The tax was very cumbersome to compute. Even the Finance Department and Philippine Stock Exchange cannot agree on the amount in terms of foregone revenue. Second, it made the stocks exchange uncompetitive because it was like a second tax on top of the stock transaction tax," he said.

Also, he noted Philippine Stock Exchange executives had noted the economy stands to lose much more if investors were turned off because of the taxation.

Lacson noted that when stock trades were exempted from DST from 2004 to 2009, stock transaction taxes collected by government increased 500 percent due to enhanced trading activity in the stock market. However, the five-year exemption to the DST expired last March 20.

Unless the new measure is signed into law, transactions would be burdened with a 75-centavo tax for every P200 par value worth of shares traded through the secondary market.

The Philippine Stock Exchange imposes one of the highest taxes in the stock market because of the stock transaction tax, which is half of one percent imposed on sellers regardless of whether there is a gain or loss in the transaction.

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Lacson Bill Exempts OFW Remittances from Documentary Stamp Tax

2009-05-21T06:36:00.001-07:00

Citing the contributions of overseas Filipino workers to the economy, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson sought to ease their burden by exempting them from the documentary stamp tax (DST).

Lacson, chairman of the Senate ways and means committee, filed Senate Bill 3255, exempting from the DST money transfers to the Philippines from OFWs.

"In recognition and solicitation of the OFWs' sustained contribution to the economic growth of our country particularly during these difficult times, immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought," Lacson said.

Besides, he pointed out the share of the DST on OFW remittances is a relatively negligible 3.4 percent of the total DST collection of the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

The revenue loss can be easily recovered through the increased inflow of currency coming from OFW remittances coursed through banks and foreign exchange companies, he added.

Lacson lamented the DST - along with other charges slapped by remittance companies - have prompted some OFWs to send money to their loved ones through the informal sector.

He cited figures from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas indicating charges by remittance firms amount to $15 to 26 per $200, or P720 to P1,248per P9,600 at an exchange rate of P48 to $1.

"No wonder that in 2006, for example, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas calculated that five percent of OFW remittances were coursed through the informal channels," he said.

But under the bill, an OFW can be exempt from paying the DST only if he or she is "duly registered with the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency."

The bill also stipulates that the OFW sending the money transfer must present a government-issued document as evidence of his or her being an OFW.

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Lacson Bill Seeks Allowances for State Auditors

2009-05-21T06:35:00.001-07:00

To make sure state auditors will not engage in corruption, a bill has been filed in the Senate seeking to give allowances to the Commission on Audit.

Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson filed Senate Bill 3257 seeking to protect state auditors not only from temptations but also from pressures.

"An effective way to insulate the personnel of the Commission on Audit from unscrupulous individuals is to provide them with monetary incentives commensurate to the mandate of their office. This bill seeks to address this primary concern by granting the employees and officials of the Commission on Audit with special allowances proportionate to their current salary grade. By giving them an additional incentive, the government is thereby recognizing the importance of their profession and the value of their work in safeguarding the general welfare," Lacson said in his bill.

He noted that during budget deliberations, COA reports are a yardstick for Congress in assessing the budget proposals of the different government agencies or bodies. But Lacson said the confidential aspect of their work makes the employees and officials of the Commission on Audit easy targets of political pressure and influence.

"So much so that if not well-compensated, they might give into temptation and abandon their sworn duty to protect the government coffers," he said.

Under the bill, the grant of the said special allowance shall not exceed 100 percent of the basic salary, "proportionate to the salary grades of the officials and employees concerned" as provided in the Salary Standardization Law.

The amount needed for the initial implementation of this Act shall be charged against the current fiscal year’s appropriations under the budget of the Commission. Additional funding sources of the amount necessary to implement the additional compensation in the form of special allowances granted under this Act will include:

* Savings generated by the COA in its operations;
* Fees collected by COA in performing audit and related services to government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) and local government units (LGUs); services rendered to private entities audited in connection with their dealings with the government arising from subsidies, counterpart funding by the government, or where audited records become the basis for government levy and share; and audit and related services arising from contracts with government entities and international organizations;
* Income sourced through the imposition of filing fees on cases filed before the COA in the exercise of its quasi-judicial function;
* Collection through imposition of fines on administrative cases;
* Income collected through the use of COA facilities such as dormitories, gym and training centers; and
* Income sourced through the conduct of seminars and lectures.

"The amounts collected shall be deposited as a Special Trust Fund which shall be administered by the Chairman of the Commission to carry out the provisions of this Act," Lacson said.

In case of salary hikes, special allowances to COA officials and employees shall be converted as part of the basic salary.

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Lacson Pushes Swift Approval of Bill to Professionalize Real Estate Service Practitioners

2009-05-21T06:31:00.000-07:00

After nearly 22 years, real estate service practitioners in the Philippines will finally get a chance at seeing their ranks professionalized through the Real Estate Service Act (RESA).

On this note, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson pushed for the swift approval and signing by President Arroyo into law of the RESA bill following its approval in a bicameral conference last May 5.

“This bill was first filed during the Eighth Congress in the House of Representatives by Rep. Rodolfo Valencia, on October 22, 1987. Real property is seen as a major resource and the greatest financial asset of an individual, of business groups, and of the government. This is why real estate service practitioners play a vital role in developing public and investor confidence in the real property market,” Lacson said.

Following its passage in a bicameral conference, the RESA bill now awaits the approval and signing into law by Mrs. Arroyo.

He said real estate service practitioners help ensure the vibrant movement of capital to support economic activities that will generate more resources for development projects.

Lacson noted that with the value of real property, transactions of this nature are susceptible to manipulation and corruption, “especially if they are in the hands of unqualified persons working under an ineffective regulatory system.”

“This is why the real estate practice ought to be regulated through appropriate licensing and the observance of a code of ethics with a defined disciplinary procedure for the protection of the public,” he said.

Real estate service practitioners include real estate consultants, appraisers, assessors, brokers and salespersons. But the bill will require only real estate consultants, appraisers, assessors and brokers to have licenses and other requirements.

Salespersons are only required to be accredited by the Professional Regulatory Board of Real Estate Service and may undergo certain trainings as may be prescribed by the Board.

Under the bill, the Professional Regulation Commission will take over from the Department of Trade and Industry in administering examinations for real estate service practitioners in the private sector.

“By providing for an effective regulatory structure and licensing requirement, the public is assured that only those that are technically competent and qualified are allowed to practice their profession, or will be appointed in the case of government assessors and appraisers,” Lacson said.

On the other hand, those in government need not worry about losing their positions as the bill allows them to stay in their present positions. However, they must comply with the requirements if they want to be promoted.

The bill also includes a provision requiring a professional indemnity insurance/cash or surety bond for real estate brokers and private appraisers. The bill sets the minimum limit at only P20,000 but the client is free to impose additional requirements depending on the transaction involved.

The provision serves as an additional security for the public when transacting with brokers or appraisers.

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Lacson Bill Creates Tax Academy to Professionalize Tax Collection

2009-05-09T05:34:00.000-07:00

Citing the need to train tax collection and administration personnel to help government improve their tax collection efficiency, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson has filed a bill creating a Philippine Tax Academy.

Lacson filed Senate Bill 3206 creating the institution that will "educate, train, mold and develop" tax collectors and administrators.

"It is therefore urgent that we create a Philippine Tax Academy that will be staffed by a corps of professional lecturers in the fields of taxation, finance and revenue administration, among others, to provide the basic theoretical construct and experimental knowledge to prospective and incumbent revenue collectors and administrators," Lacson, chairman of the Senate Committees on Finance and Ways and Means, said in his bill.

He pointed out there are many institutions or academies that provide specialized training in other aspects of public service. These include the Local Executive Academy, Judicial Academy, Tourism Academy, Philippine Military Academy, and Philippine National Police Academy.

"It is envisioned that in the long run, this will contribute to enhance tax collection efficiency and tax administration in general, thus, raise our tax effort and help arrest our budget deficit," Lacson said of the proposed Philippine Tax Academy.

He also noted that the increasing needs of a growing population will require a substantial rise in tax collection. He lamented the government's tax effort in relation to Gross Domestic Product had been declining from 16.3 percent in 1995 to as low as 12.4 percent in 2004, and 15.1 percent in 2008.

Under the bill, the Philippine Tax Academy will be a component unit under the supervision of the Department of Finance.

The Academy will implement a curriculum for tax collectors and administrators, and shall conduct seminars, workshops and training programs to enhance their "skills and knowledge, moral fitness, efficiency and capability."

It will have a board of trustees appointed by the President, from nominees of the DOF. The board will have members from the DOF, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Bureau of Customs, Bureau of Local Government Finance, and three representatives from the academe.

Representatives from the academe will nominees of State Universities or accredited private institutions. They must have at least five years' teaching experience in a reputable school in taxation, public finance and public administration.

The board member representing the DOF shall be ex-officio chairperson of the Board, while the board member representing the BIR and BOC will be ex-officio vice chairpersons.

Members of the board will serve for a minimum of three years and will have honoraria instead of a fixed compensation.

The Academy may enter into consortium agreements with the University of the Philippines and training institutions for curriculum development and continuing educations in tax collection, auditing and administration.

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Face the Issue (Part 2)

2009-04-27T01:37:00.000-07:00

* Privilege Speech by Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson delivered April 27, 2008 *

This will be a short privilege speech. At the outset I would like to thank the minority leader for yielding the floor to this representation and likewise to the lady senator from Antique.

Mr. President, I stand on a matter of personal and collective privilege. Last Monday, 20 April 2009, this representation took the floor to clarify certain misleading statements made by some of our colleagues at the minority bloc in connection with the ethics complaint against a member of this chamber. Thereafter the gentleman from Las Piñas stood on the floor of this Senate, ostensibly to respond to my privilege speech delivered last Monday.

Sa kanyang talumpati, Ginoong Pangulo, kasama sa maraming binanggit ni Senador Manuel Villar Jr. ang mga sumusunod and I quote: ‘I was accused on this floor. I will answer it here on this floor, hindi po doon sa kangaroo court ng ethics committee headed by no less than one of my accusers and the members of which are all presidentiables.’

Sa pangalawang pagkakataon sa kanyang talumpati noong Lunes, sinabi rin niya ang sumusunod: ‘Mahaba pa po Ginoong Pangulo ang aking gustong sabihin. Subali’t ang issue po ngayon ay ang ethics committee. Ang C5 sasagutin ko yan. Hindi ako natatakot pero hindi po sa ethics committee, dito sa floor.’ Upang maiwasang ibahin na naman ng ilan nating mga kasamahan dito sa Senado ang mga binitiwang pananalita ni Sen. Villar, minabuti ko bigkasin ang bawa’t kataga, walang dagdag, walang bawas at naaayon sa journal and transcript of records ng Senado.

Mr. President, for the record, the ethics committee is not a kangaroo court. In fact, it has not constituted itself as a body to exercise its adjudication functions. And I am not the accuser. The senator from Bicol region and Pampanga, Jamby Madrigal, is the complainant and therefore his accuser.

My privilege speech last Sept. 15, 2008 regarding the issue of double insertion in the 2008 national budget is not even part of the complaint filed by the lady senator from Bicol. The complaint is about allegations of conflict of interest and improper conduct committed by Sen. Villar in realigning the road right of way for his own benefit and self-interest.

Dahil sa Senado, Ginoong Pangulo, naiparating sa sambayanan ang mga masasamang gawain ng isang itago na lang natin sa pangalang Jose Pidal at ang malawakang illegal gambling katulad ng jueteng na talamak sa buong bansa.

Dahil sa Senado napalitaw sa sambayanan ang katakot-takot na corruption sa iba’t ibang sangay ng ehekutibo, particular dito ang gahiganteng tongpats sa NBN ZTE deal, ang pagkakagamit ng pondo ng bayan sa mga pekeng fertilizer sa pagpapalakad ni Undersecretary Jocjoc Bolante, maging ang nakakahiyang pagka-blacklist ng World Bank mismo sa ilang mga kontratista na nagnenegosyo sa ating pamahalaan.

Hindi naman siguro maganda Ginoong Pangulo sa pananaw ng bayan at lalong hindi makatarungan kung tayo ay nag-iimbestiga at pumupuna sa kamalian ng ibang sangay ng pamahalaan nguni’t mananahimik na lamang tayo kung isa sa atin ay naparatangan ng kamalian.

Kaya may committee on ethics and privileges ang Senado, at maging ang Mababang Kapulungan meron ding kaukulang komiteng tulad nito.

Ginoong Pangulo ang katotohanan ay dapat lumitaw. Ito ang batayan ng katarungan. But Mr. President, the gentleman from Las Piñas refuses to recognize the ethics committee as constituted by this Senate. And by his own statements made on the floor of this Senate last Monday, April 20, 2009, he repeatedly vowed that he would answer Senator Madrigal’s accusations not before the ethics committee but on the floor of the Senate.

Ginoong Pangulo, upang mabigyan ng karapat-dapat na proteksyon at integridad ang Senado bilang institusyon na kinabibilangan ng bawa’t isa sa atin at kinikilala ng sambayanang Pilipino bilang sandigan ng katotohanan at katarungan at ayon na rin sa ginawang pakikipagugnayan sa mga regular na kaanib ng ethics committee na nagbigay ng kanilang pahintulot sa akin, ay nais ko pong hilingin na ipaubaya natin sa Committee of the Whole ang pag-alam ng katotohanan tungkol sa kasong sinampa ni Senadora Jamby Madrigal laban kay Senador Manuel Villar Jr.

Lest this move be misinterpreted to mean otherwise, this representation as chair and all the regular members of the committee on ethics and privileges are not, I repeat, are not abandoning our sworn duty entrusted to us by our peers. Neither is it to accept the accusation by some of our peers that we in the Senate ethics committee cannot act with fairness, probity and impartiality. We have, I repeat, acted with utmost respect for due process and according to the tenets of fairness especially upon a peer in this august body.

But so as to strengthen the institution that is the Senate, and to protect it from unwarranted assaults upon its collective integrity, I therefore move Mr. President that the responsibility of the ethics committee pertinent to the case filed by Sen. Jamby Madrigal against Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. be henceforth undertaken by all of us in the Senate acting as a Committee of the Whole.

I also move that the Senate President be the presiding officer of the Committee of the Whole and that the proceedings be in accordance with the rules of the committee on ethics and privileges as published in the Official Gazette last March 23, 2009.

I so move, Mr. President.

*****

Face the Issue

2009-04-21T06:55:00.000-07:00

* Privilege Speech by Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson delivered April 20, 2008 *

Mr. President, distinguished colleagues of the 14th Congress of the Philippine Senate, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. I rise on a matter of personal and collective privilege.

The great American poet, Robert Lee Frost once wrote – “The best way out is always through.”

A leader of men, as we all ought to be in this august chamber, must face and confront an issue, explaining his side, grappling through it like a real leader.

Sinuman sa atin ang maging tampulan ng mga katanungang kailangang sagutin o panagutan, marapat lamang na tayo mismo ang sumagot. Hindi dapat na i-asa sa ilang kasamahang itinuturing na kapantay nating lahat sa loob ng kapita-pitagang bulwagang ito. Sapagka’t tayong lahat ay inihalal ng sambayanang Pilipino. Tayong lahat ay tinitingala ng sambayanan bilang mga tunay na lider --- marunong manindigan, may sariling isip, may sariling pananagutan. Kung nais nating maging lider, huwag tayong magtago o mangunyapit sa pundilyo ng pantalon ng ilan nating mga kasamahan.

At sakaling may hamon sa ating integridad, dapat lamang na tayuan, harapin at sagutin natin ang mga tanong na tanging tayo lamang, higit kaninuman, ang may kaalaman at kakayahang sumagot. Gusto nating ituring na pinuno, matuto tayong tumayo sa sarili nating mga paa. Doon tayo sa harapan, huwag sa likuran o sa isang tabi lamang. Maliban na nga lamang kung tayo ay nagpapanggap at nagkukunwaring may kakayahang mamuno. At lalong hindi nararapat na daanin sa dami ng salapi para lamang mapagtakpan ang maaaring napakalaking kasalanan sa taumbayan.

Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, it was unfortunate that I was not in the session hall, as I had to attend an urgent meeting outside the Senate premises, when the distinguished minority leader took the floor and questioned certain actions taken by the Committee on Ethics and Privileges which I chair.

In the succeeding discussion, I will address the points raised by the honorable gentleman from Cagayan de Oro City.

Before that, Mr. President, let me state for the record that I had on at least two occasions, as the Senate records will bear me out, pleaded right here in this same hall to allow the members of the minority bloc to nominate their representatives to the Committee on Ethics and Privileges. On as many occasions, they refused to heed my appeal. I now wish to take the opportunity to reiterate that appeal. My reason is as simple as it is significant – the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges is the only committee given the mandate and power to adjudicate and put a peer to trial. It is the only committee that can recommend to the rest of us the dismissal, suspension and other sanctions that it may deem proper to impose on an erring colleague based on the facts and evidence presented before it.

We all have different obsessions. Some can get obsessed with power; some with fame; Rare, if I may observe, are those obsessed with paranoia.

Out of the three, I truly believe paranoia requires the most in dedication and commitment. Indeed, paranoia requires skill.

Mr. President, after almost eight years in this office, I have realized that making laws is the easy part of being a Senator. Navigating the political landmines is the difficult part.

As Chairman of Ethics Committee and, on behalf of its members, I am aware that I have to temper the duties of my office and strike a balance between duty and perception, especially when dealing with a respondent with appointed seconds inside and outside this hall, lest I be accused of political railroading.

Ginoong Pangulo, habang ang komite ay nagpupulong sa Laurel Room ng Senado noong Miyerkules ng tanghali, sa labas naman ay may mga dalawampung naka-maskara na may dalang mga animo’y laruang pugot ang ulo at ibinibintang sa inyong abang lingkod ang pagpaslang sa halos lahat na yata ng napatay sa Pilipinas. At, bakit nga ba tinakpan nila ang kanilang mga mukha? Kasing duwag ba sila ng nagbayad sa kanila upang mag-martsa at sabayan ang pagdinig ng Committee on Ethics and Privileges?

Mr. President, since on this matter at least, we are obsessed with procedures, let us talk about procedures.

First of all, for the record, the Committee on Ethics and Privileges has never, I repeat, never issued a report, much less a committee report on the standing complaint of Senator Ma. Ana Consuelo Madrigal against Senator Manuel B. Villar, Jr.

What was circulated is a mere order. An order that was the result of a careful study by the committee’s general counsel; an order that simply states that the complaint lodged against the Senator from Las Piñas is sufficient in form and substance; an order that according to the Rules of the Committee on Ethics and Privileges that was published in the Official Gazette on March 23, 2009 in compliance with the requirements of the law, had to be promulgated and adopted in a regular committee meeting held last April 15, 2009 before it could finally become valid and enforceable; an order that would accord Senator Villar the right to file his reply within five days upon receipt, to determine if a preliminary inquiry will take place or not.

In other words, the committee meeting held on April 15, 2009 was not a fait accompli. (At lalong hindi ito moro-moro.) Rather, it was undertaken either to ratify or reject that order.

And again, for the record, even when a complaint is determined to be sufficient in form and substance, such as in the case of Senator Madrigal’s complaint, such determination does not necessarily result in the respondent’s guilt.

Under Section 22a of Rule 4 of the Ethics Committee, the next step is for the committee to conduct a preliminary inquiry. A preliminary inquiry includes an opportunity for any known respondent to present either a written statement or to respond orally to questions of the committee.

Apparently, some equate the mere determination by the Committee that the complaint complied with form and substance, with already credible evidence that provides substantial cause for the same committee to conclude that a violation within its jurisdiction has already been committed.

Sadyang napakahaba pa ang tatahaking landas at marami pang gagampanang gawain ang komite bago makaabot, kung sakali man, sa pagsusumite ng isang report na pag-uusapan at pagbobotohan pa nating lahat sa plenaryo.

It should best serve the interest of all parties concerned, most especially the Senate as an institution, for a respondent in a valid complaint to just answer whatever accusations are leveled against him before the Committee on Ethics and Privileges, instead of resorting to squid tactics aimed at muddling the issue and trivializing the very foundation of the code of conduct and ethical standards that bind each and every one of us.

Halimbawa, isa sa mga alegasyon sa naturang reklamo ni Senadora Jamby Madrigal ay ang pagkaka-aksaya ng 1.2 bilyung pisong naibayad na ng pamahalaan sa lupang pag-aari ni Bro, Mike Velarde na siya sanang gagawing daan mula Sucat Road sa Paranaque City patungong Coastal Road.

AD-LIB

Ito ay sa dahilang ayon sa alegasyon ni Senadora Madrigal, ang isang road-right-of-way project mula Sucat Road sa Parañaque City patungo sa Coastal Road ay nagawa pang ilihis diumano ng isinasangkot sa kasong ito na si Senador Manuel B. Villar, Jr., gamit daw ang kanyang impluwensiya at kapangyarihan bilang isang mataas na opisyal ng pamahalaan, upang diumano’y matamaan at madaanan ang mga lupaing sinasabi sa reklamo na pag-aari niya o ng kanyang mga korporasyon nang sa ganun ay tumaas ang halaga ng mga ito, diumano para sa pansariling interes at pakinabang.

Dahil hindi natin alam kung totoo o hindi ang mga alegasyon sa reklamo ng kagalang-galang na Senadora mula sa Bikol at Pampanga, hindi ba mas maganda kung ang mabibigat na akusasyong tulad nito ay sagutin na lamang ni Senador Villar sa tamang pamamaraan at sa harap ng komiteng naatasan ng Senado upang alamin ang katotohanan, sa halip na malihis pa ang isyu sa mga usaping wala namang batayan?

Anyway, the order that has been the concern of Senator Pimentel, and perhaps some members of the minority, is not only within the parameters of the rules of the Committee on Ethics and Privileges, but also standard practice in other institutions performing similar duties and functions.

With all due respect to the gentleman from Cagayan de Oro, I would like to correct the misimpression created by his statements on the floor last Wednesday. I would like to believe that he was grossly misinformed when he stated, as lifted from the transcript of last Wednesday’s session which I will quote - “For example, (this is Senator Pimentel speaking) I would really find it difficult to accept the proposition that we can issue already a committee report for signing the day before a meeting actually takes place...”

He kept on referring to that circulated order as a committee report.

No sir! It was NOT a committee report that was circulated last April 14.

Even the distinguished majority leader, Senator Miguel Zubiri may have also been misled into believing that what he signed was a committee report when he manifested on the floor, also last Wednesday, and I quote - “It was not my intent to sign any document, a committee report that had no committee hearing at that point in time.”

No sir! It was NOT a committee report that the distinguished Majority Leader, signed. The gentleman from Bukidnon need not have sounded apologetic or remorseful for signing that document.

Accusing this representation and the rest of the members of the Ethics Committee of issuing a committee report without observing due process is most unfair, to say the least, Mr. President.

Not being a lawyer should not divest most of us in this hall of the knowledge of a simple procedure. And appropriately so, I refer the chamber to the official statement issued by Supreme Court spokesman, Atty. Jose Midas Marquez, in relation to the celebrated Limkaichong case. He said, “A draft, whether signed or unsigned, remains a draft until promulgated. It has to be promulgated before we can call it a decision. So the leak was just a draft. It’s not yet a decision.”

And up until a decision has been promulgated, the matter should remain internal among the members of the Court.

In the same manner and following the same principle, the order (not a committee report) circulated to the members of the Committee on Ethics and Privileges on April 14, 2009 was to be treated as a draft, whether signed or unsigned, and should remain internal among the members. Let me repeat, among committee members only.

It is not for public consumption until after proper promulgation and serviced to the parties concerned. It doesn’t help any if a so-called “angel” leaked the copy of that un-promulgated order.

In a leak following the Limkaichong-Paras election case, it is worth mentioning here that former Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruben Reyes was sanctioned by his peers for violating the confidentiality of internal matters still undergoing deliberations by the Court. Signed by the majority of the magistrates, the Court maintained that unless adopted in an en banc meeting, there was no decision to speak of. Hence, the statement of the Court’s spokesman which I quoted earlier.

Who is to say we cannot hold all Senators to the same high standards of integrity and propriety?

To further illustrate my point, when I was still a member of the Senate Electoral Tribunal deliberating on the Pimentel vs. Zubiri electoral protest, it was standard practice of the Tribunal to circulate orders and resolutions relevant to the said election case to the members for their signatures ahead of the scheduled meetings. These orders were then deliberated upon for ratification or rejection during the meetings called for the purpose. (Kung hindi ganito ang patakarang sinusunod ng tribunal, marahil, magpahanggang sa mga oras na ito ay hindi pa natatapos ang pangunahing hakbang sa protesta ni Atty. Koko Pimentel laban kay Senador Zubiri. Marahil magpasahanggang ngayon ay hindi pa tapos rebisahin ang mga boto sa dalawampu’t limang bahagdan ng mga presintong kasama sa protesta ni Atty. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III.)

Let it be known that up until that leak provided by that “angel” happened, no one in the media or in the public knew about the details of the order dated April 15, 2009. Precisely, we in the Committee know and respect the meaning of sensitivity and confidentiality.

It is unfortunate that there is at least one colleague in this chamber who takes pleasure at using every opportunity to twist the issue into a dirty political game.

It is said, the undeserving maintain power by promoting hysteria. And shame on him who wants to drag well-meaning Senators into the muck.

Mr. President, I have in my hands copies of letters from the Ethics Committee of the 12th Congress, regarding a complaint filed against me by a group who called themselves the People’s Consultative Assembly before the same Committee on Ethics and Privileges. This was in connection with the sworn statements executed by some nasty, lying characters led by Angelo “Ador” Mawanay. In a letter dated October 9, 2001, the Committee forwarded the details of the aforementioned joint complaint-affidavit. In another letter dated October 17, 2001, I was officially informed that the Committee had already conducted a preliminary discussion on the matter, and that I had to file my counter-affidavit in a preliminary inquiry. Yet, as can be seen from the records produced from the Senate archives, no meeting was held to tackle the complaint against me. Worse, the Ethics Committee of the 12th Congress did not bother to inform me beforehand that the complaint as filed was sufficient in form and substance. Moreover, the Senate Ethics Committee at that time did not care to find out that the Ethics Committee had no jurisdiction in the first place to tackle the complaint. Why? The accusations contained therein, never mind if the allegations were as incredible as they were ludicrous, were supposedly committed before I took my oath as a Senator of the Republic!

Mr. President, I did not run to my minority leader for help in 2001. I did not ask any peer to heckle for me. I did not mobilize marchers and protesters to muddle up the issue. I did not cry foul. I quietly filed my reply in the best way I knew how - by invoking the rules of the Ethics Committee, even when it was obvious that lapses were committed against my interest. I acted the way a leader ought.

And, as I am still conscious of those lapses, inadvertent and otherwise, committed by some of my colleagues in 2001, I assure you, Mr. President, distinguished majority leader, distinguished minority leader and the rest of our colleagues, that I have been very careful not to commit the same.

I am disappointed that at least one colleague has resorted to the same dirty politics that this administration plays on us and the Filipino people.

Mr. President, I am here to do my job, to make laws. Whatever number of friends I have earned the privilege of having here is an added bonus. But even those friends understand we have to be Senators first and camaraderie should be of lesser moment.

Before I end this privilege speech, with your indulgence, Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, let me perform a simple duty.

Under the rules of the Committee on Ethics and Privileges, particularly, Sections 12 and 13, I would like to state for the record the following, thus –

Section 12. PAPERS REQUIRED TO BE FILED AND SERVED. Every motion, judgment, resolution, order, pleading subsequent to a complaint, written motion, notice, appearance or similar papers shall be filed with the committee and served to the parties affected.

Section 13. MODES OF SERVICE. Service of pleadings, motions, orders, judgments and other papers shall be made either personally or by mail.

Mr. President, may I be allowed to leave the podium momentarily to personally serve the promulgated order of the Committee dated April 15, 2009 on Senator Manuel B. Villar, Jr. or his duly authorized representative.

I now defer to the collective wisdom of this august body in determining whether a member or members of this chamber committed improper conduct with the leak of the said order to the media.

I so move, Mr. President.

*****

Lacson Bill Exempts Local Water Districts from Tax

2009-04-18T14:48:00.000-07:00

Instead of paying millions of pesos a year in income taxes, local water districts (LWDs) may soon be allowed to use the amount to improve their services.

On this note, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson filed Senate Bill 3152 seeking to exempt LWDs from paying such taxes so they can ensure clean water supply and effective wastewater disposal.

"As early as 1973, the government recognized the need for reliable and economically viable and sound water supply and wastewater disposal system for population centers of the Philippines," Lacson noted in his bill.

Lacson's bill seeks to amend Section 27 of the National Internal Revenue Code and make it consistent with the spirit of Presidential Decree No. 198, which institutionalized the LWDs.

PD 198 had exempted LWDs from paying income taxes as well as from the payment of all National Government, local government and municipal taxes and fees, and all duties or imposts on imported machinery, equipment and materials required for the operations.

But Lacson noted that in the last 30-plus years, several laws were enacted either granting or withdrawing the tax exemption privileges of LWDs. Worse, he said the Tax Code caused confusion about whether LWDs should pay taxes as their status was open to various interpretations by government agencies and judicial bodies.

"Even more disconcerting is the fact that other public utilities of similar nature such as the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) and National Power Corp. (NPC) were granted tax exemptions by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) hinging upon the same Tax Code provisions," he noted.

Such inconsistencies have slowed the viable growth and efficient provision of safe, adequate and potable water to more than 15 million people outside Metro Manila, Lacson lamented. "In order to address the inconsistencies, this proposed bill is recommended as a counterpart measure of HB No. 5210 approved by the House of Representatives," he said.

The bill includes LWDs in the list of government-owned or controlled corporations or agencies exempted from paying income tax. The Secretary of Finance shall promulgate and publish the necessary rules and regulations for the measure.

o0o

Truth and Courage

2009-04-17T22:47:00.000-07:00

(Speech delivered by Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson April 18, 2009, at the Commencement Exercises of the Lyceum of the Philippines University, Philippine International Convention Center, Pasay City)

Four decades ago in 1964 I enrolled and studied in the Lyceum of the Philippines. That’s how we called the university at the time. Straight from high school I wanted to become a lawyer so I could apply as an NBI agent because law enforcement has always been my passion.

In 1967 when I was in my third year, a high school friend who was studying then in Mapua Institute of Technology, requested me to accompany him to take the entrance examination in the Philippine Military Academy. He failed and I passed. The rest, as they say, is history.

Were I to present myself, it would be as a country bumpkin born and raised in a little known town in Cavite.

In my work as a representative of the people, I have gone around the countryside many times and talked to a great number of people of different social, political and economic backgrounds – none of the blessings that I and my seven siblings are enjoying now are possible if not for a dream.

Minsan, nangarap ang dalawang magulang na mapag-aral ang kanilang mga anak.

Dahil sa isang munting pangarap, at sa tulong ng pagsisikap at pagdarasal ng aming mga magulang ay nakapag-aral kaming walong magkakapatid. Ang bukang bibig ng aking mga magulang ay ito – “May awa ang Diyos mga anak, makaraos din tayo.” Sukdulang hindi kami kumain ng tatlong beses sa isang araw, makatapos lang kayong lahat sa inyong pag-aaral. Hindi lamang kami nakaraos, nguni’t lumaki pa nang maayos.

But such were the good old days of my youth when the government served as the great social equalizer.

Maayos ang mga paaralan, malusog na mga mamamayan – these were the realities during those good, old days.

It was a reality for millions of people like me who grew up in the shadows of World War II.

Noong araw, walang Internet, walang cell phone,

Pero kahit simple ang buhay, ang pamahalaan ay nakaagapay sa mga mamamayan, lalo na sa mga mahihirap. Wala kaming pangamba sa aming kaligtasan kahit disoras ng gabi. Nag-iisa lang ang pulis sa aming barangay pero siya ay tinitingala at iginagalang at higit sa lahat pinagkakatiwalaan ng mga mamamayan.

When public officials govern above self-interest, basic services like health, education, peace and order can be taken for granted even by the lowest in society, the poor are assured of the basic tools needed to improve their own lives, not by dole-outs, but by equal opportunity to all. Sa madaling sabi, noong araw, patas ang laban ng mga mahihirap sa mga mamamayan, ng mga maliliit sa mga makapangyarihan. Kaya ang isang tulad kong anak-mahirap, nagkaroon ng pagkakataong umasenso at umangat, kahit sino, basta’t may angking talino at marunong magsikap upang umunlad.

This is what I want to illustrate as social justice. The same social justice that our democratic institution is founded on and what we elect our officials for.

Over time, this dedication to public service has all but disappeared in government.

Unlike during those times, what we now see is a government that is not transparent, that is insensitive to the needs of the people, a government that does not deliver the necessary social services to our people, and worse, a government that steals and a government that abuses.

Almost every month, we have grown used to the reported instances of corruption, both large and small scale.

Kagaya ng fertilizer scam na isa lamang sa maraming anomalyang inimbestigahan namin sa Senado kamakailan lamang.

Out of the total project cost of P728 million in government funds, less than a hundred million went to the true beneficiaries, our farmers, while at least P645 million went to the greedy pockets of a few.

Tuwing ako ay tinatanong kung ano ang pinakamalaking problema ng ating Inang Bayan, ang aking tuwirang sagot ay maikli at simple lang: korapsyon sa gobyerno, korapsyon ng mga namumuno ang siyang kumikitil sa ating mga mamamayan.

Dahil sa walang habas na kurakot, nawalan na ng saysay ang Patas na Laban, Para sa Lahat na dapat ay karapatan lalo na ng mga kapos-palad.

Bakit nga ba sa ibang bansa, kapag may nagkasakit sa kanilang pamilya, gobyerno na ang sumasagot sa lahat ng gastusin sa pagpapagamot sa mga ospital?

Bakit sa ibang bansa, ang kanilang mga mamamayan ay pinag-aaral ng libre ng kanilang gobyerno, hindi kailangang matigil sa pag-aaral dahil sa hindi makayanang gastos sa pangmatrikula at libro?

Dito sa atin, kapag nagkasakit ka at ikaw ay mahirap, malamang mamamatay kang hindi man lamang makakita ng duktor o makatikim ng gamot. At kung ikaw naman ay may kaunting naipon, siguradong ubos ang naipon mo at malamang mababaon ka pa sa utang.

Dito sa atin, kahit nakasaad sa ating Konstitusyon na libre ang pampublikong edukasyon, ito ay hindi nadarama ng mga mahihirap kaya maraming lumalaking mangmang dahil hindi mairaos ang pag-aaral.

In school, we are taught about truth and consequences.

We know that if we don’t study, tiyak bagsak tayo sa mga pagsusulit. Inversely, if we perform well, we are justly rewarded.

Yan sana ang dapat mangyari sa totoong buhay – kung hindi mo kayang gampanan ang iyong tungkulin bilang isang elective o appointive official, dapat ka lamang paalisin o di kaya’y huwag nang iboto sa susunod na halalan.

Pero hanggang patuloy na nakapikit ang mga mata ng nakararami sa nangyayaring katiwalian sa ating bansa at patuloy nating iboboto ang mga tiwali sa pamahalaan, wala akong nakikitang pag-asa sa ating bayan at patuloy pa tayong maghihirap.

Through hardships and under constant threat of political ostracism and black propaganda, I expose the excesses and abuses of our leaders, no matter how high and mighty they are.

Throughout all of these, I stand proud and I won’t be threatened or intimidated.

Dahil kahit anong hirap ng aking mga magulang para itaguyod ang pag-aaral naming walong magkakapatid, ni minsan hindi sila nanlamang o nagnakaw sa kapwa.

There are a few things that money can’t buy – integrity and a clear conscience.

And I will continue to honor my parents’ sacrifices by living with their example. I will always adhere to the principle that they taught us to live by – “What is right must be kept right; what is wrong must be set right.” Ang tama ay ipaglaban, ang mali ay labanan.

As concerned citizens of this country, bilang mamamayang may malasakit sa ating bansa, lalong lalo na sa mga mahihirap, there are three things we simply cannot do: be victims, abusers or bystanders.

This is the time that we show people in the government that it is us who put them in office and we could easily take their power away once they stop representing the will of the people.

You know, I do not wish to detract from the importance of this moment.

As graduates, you deserve the accolades of your fellow classmates, teachers and guests that are gathered here today.

Palakpakan po rin natin ang mga magulang na minsan nangarap at nagsilbing gabay sa ating pag-aaral. Kung tutuusin hindi biro ang magpaaral, then and most especially now, and we must salute our parents.

But let us not forget those who cannot be here with us today.

Iyong karamihan sa ating mga kabataang napilitang huminto sa pag-aaral dahil salat sa yaman at ngayo’y nagiging biktima ng ganid ng iilan sa ating pamahalaan. These people will never experience what all of you are experiencing right now, a fair play at life’s opportunities.

A diploma is more than just a passport to success; rather, it is an instrument that we can use to do good; to build a better world not only for ourselves but for those less privileged.

I believe there is only one accident in this world, and that is the accident of being born rich or poor.

Everything else in life is a conscious choice.

Naniniwala ako sa angking kagalingan ng mga taong nasa pagtitipon natin ngayon. Nguni’t nawawalang saysay ang kagalingang ito kung hindi naibabahagi upang magbigay saysay sa buhay ng ibang tao.

Today marks your entry into adulthood and with that the responsibility to make choices that will have a profound effect on others.

I would like to break tradition and close this speech not by offering any advice but a plea – help.

Help fight against corruption.

Help build this country.

But most especially, choose to help by electing better leaders.

Thank you very much and Godspeed!

*****

Our Responsibility, Our Destiny

2009-04-13T19:37:00.000-07:00

(Speech delivered by Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson April 3, 2009, at the First Graduation Ceremony of the Teodoro M. Luansing College of Rosario, Batangas)

Marami pong salamat sa kinakatawan ng Teodoro M. Luansing College of Rosario para sa paanyaya.

Lagi kong tinatanggap ang pagkakataong bumalik sa Batangas dahil buo ang aking paniniwalang iilan na lang ito sa mga lalawigang kilala sa kanyang paninindigan laban sa mga mapagsamantala sa ating karapatang mamuhay na may dignidad at patas na laban.

In my work as a representative of the people, I have gone around our country many times and talked to a great number of people from all walks of life – none of the blessings and privileges that I have enjoyed over the years would have been possible if not for a simple dream.

Dahil sa isang munting pangarap ay nakapag-aral kaming walong magkakapatid. Hindi lamang kami nakaraos, nguni’t lumaki pa ng maayos.

But such were the good old days of my youth when the government served as the great social equalizer.

Maayos ang mga paaralan, malusog na mamamayan – these were the realities for millions of people like me who grew up in the shadows of World War II.

Noong araw, walang Internet, walang cell phone.

This is what I want to illustrate as social justice. The same social justice that our democratic institution is founded on and what we elect our officials to do.

Kaya ang isang tulad kong anak-mahirap, nagkaroon ng pagkakataong umasenso at umangat, kahit sino, basta’t may angking talino at marunong magsikap upang umunlad.

Sa madaling sabi, noong araw, patas ang laban ng mga mamamayan, patas ang laban ng mga mahihirap sa mga mamamayan sa ilalim ng pangangalaga ng pamahalaan.

Over time, this dedication to public service has all but disappeared in government.

Almost every other month, we have grown used to the reported instances of government corruption, both large- and small-scale.

Kagaya ng fertilizer scam na isa lamang sa maraming anumalyang inimbestigahan namin sa Senado kamakailan lang.

Out of the total project cost of P728 million in government funds, less than a hundred million went to the true beneficiaries, our farmers, while P645 million went to the greedy pockets of a few.

I think some have been particularly affected by this corruption since Rosario’s main lifeblood is in agriculture.

Tuwing ako ay tinatanong kung ano ang pinakamalaking problema ng ating Inang Bayan, ang aking tuwirang sagot ay maikli at simple lang: korapsyon sa gobyerno at ng mga namumuno ang siyang kumikitil sa ating mga mamamayan.

Dahil sa walang habas na kurakot, nawalan na ng saysay ang Patas na Laban Para sa Lahat, na dapat ay karapatan lalo na ng mga kapos-palad.

Bakit sa ibang bansa, ang kanilang mga mamamayan ay napag-aaral ng libre ng kanilang gobyerno, hindi kailangang matigil sa pag-aaral dahil sa hindi makayanang gastos sa pangmatrikula at libro?

Dito sa atin, kapag nagkasakit ka at ikaw ay mahirap, malamang mamamatay kang hindi man lamang nakakita ng doktor o nalapatan ng tamang gamot. At kung ikaw naman ay may kaunting naipon, siguradong ubos ito at mababaon ka pa sa utang.

Dito sa atin, kahit nakasaad sa ating Konstitusyon na libre ang pampublikong edukasyon, ito ay hindi nadarama ng mga mahihirap kaya maraming lumalaking mangmang dahil hindi maidaos ang pag-aaral.

In school, we are taught about truth and consequences.

We know that if we don’t study, tiyak bagsak tayo sa mga pagsusulit. Inversely, if we perform well, we are justly rewarded.

Yan sana ang dapat mangyari sa totoong buhay – kung hindi mo kayang gampanan ang iyong tungkulin bilang elected official, dapat kang ipatalsik o di kaya’y huwag ng iboto sa susunod na halalan.

Alam niyo naman ang mga pinupukol na pangbabatikos sa akin dahil sa patuloy nating ginagawang exposés sa Senado. Nguni’t, pinapangako kong hindi nila tayo matatalo o matatakot gaano man kataas o katayog ang kanilang posisyon sa gobyerno.

Dahil kahit anong hirap na dinaanan ng aking mga magulang para itaguyod ang pag-aaral naming walong magkakapatid, ni minsan hindi sila nanlamang o nagnakaw sa kapwa.

And I will continue to honor my parents’ sacrifices and memory by living with their example. I will always adhere to the principle that they taught us to live by – “What is right must be kept right; what is wrong must be set right.”

You know, I do not wish to detract from the importance of this moment.

As graduates, you deserve the accolades of your fellow classmates, teachers and guests that are gathered here today.

Palakpakan po rin natin ang mga magulang na minsan nangarap at nagsilbing gabay sa ating pag-aaral. Kung tutuusin, hindi biro ang magpaaral, then and most especially now, and we salute them.

But let us not forget those who cannot be here with us today.

Iyong karamihan sa ating mga kabataang napilitang huminto sa pag-aaral dahil salat sa yaman at ngayo’y nagiging biktima ng ganid ng iilan sa ating pamahalaan. Unlike you, these people will never experience what all of you are experiencing right now, a fair play at life’s opportunities.

Therefore, your diplomas are more than just passports to success; rather, they are an instrument that we can use to do good; to build a better world not only for ourselves but for those less privileged.

I wish to come back to tradition and end this speech with an advice – whatever you will become in the next five to ten years, please find the time to make this country great again.

Let us start by electing better leaders for our future.

Thank you very much and Godspeed!

*****

Speech at the Commencement Exercises of Wesleyan University

2009-04-12T20:37:00.000-07:00

(Delivered by Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson at Wesleyan University, Cabanatuan City, April 8, 2009)

All of us may have come from different backgrounds, but I believe we were brought together by a dream. The Wesleyan University Philippines came about because of a dream to build people and make a difference.

Having been elevated to autonomous status just a week ago from being the only educational institution in the province of Nueva Ecija that used to enjoy a deregulated status granted by the Commission on Higher Education makes that dream even more meaningful.

I, on the other hand, was brought here because of a much simpler but nevertheless important dream.

Minsan may munting pangarap ang dalawang mag-asawang makapagtapos ang kanilang walong anak. I was born to poor parents. Lacking anything of substance to pass on to their eight children, they were fanatical in ensuring we all finish our studies.

Tanging pagpapawis at pagbabanat ng buto at higit sa lahat, taimtim na panalangin sa Diyos ang naging patnubay ng aking mga mahal na ama at ina. Mabuti na lamang at sa mga panahon na iyon, ang pamahalaan ay nakaagapay sa mga mamamayan, mayaman o mahirap, maliit o makapangyarihan. Maayos na mga paaralan, malusog na mga mamamayan, hindi ito mga bukambibig lamang pagdating ng halalan.

It was a reality for millions of people in my generation. Noong araw ng aking kabataan, patas ang laban para sa lahat.

Ngayon, hindi na patas ang laban. Kapag ikaw ay mahirap, halos walang maaasahang tulong sa pamahalaan upang magbigay ng kahit na mga payak na serbisyong pampubliko tulad ng pangedukasyon at pangkalusugan man lamang.

Bakit nga ba sa ibang bansa, tulad ng Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore at marami pang iba, libre ang pampublikong pag-aaral at iba pang gastusin ng kanilang mga mamamayan?

Bakit kayang tustusan ng kanilang pamahalaan ang pagpapagamot ng kanilang mga mamamayan?

Dito sa ating bayan, kapag ikaw ay mahirap at nagkasakit, malamang ilang araw lamang, ikaw ay mamamatay. At kapag ikaw ay may kaunting naipon, malamang ubos ang iyong inipon at mabaon ka pa sa utang.

Whenever I’m asked about the country’s top problems, I always single out corruption.

Take for example the fertilizer scam that was a subject of a Senate investigation.

Out of a total project cost of P728 million in government funds, at least P645 million went to the greedy pockets of a few while only less than a hundred million actually went to benefit our farmers.

As a son of a jeepney driver, you can understand both my frustrations and anger towards these corrupt officials.

Nakapanghihinayang na ang halagang tulad ng nabanggit ko sa fertilizer scam na nilustay ng iilang matatakaw na mga pinuno at makapangyarihan sa pamahalaan ay nasasayang lamang habang dumadami ang bilang ng mga batang paslit na pilit pinagkakasya na parang sardinas sa mga sira-sirang mga paaralan at mga dukhang pamilyang kapag nagkasakit ay hindi man lang nakakatikim ng gamot at hindi nakakakita ng doktor sa ating pampublikong ospital.

Ang fertilizer scam ay isa lamang sa halos hindi na mabilang na katiwalian sa gobyerno na siyang lumilikha ng mga problema ng bansa at mga mamamayan dahil sa mga mapagsamantala at walang mga konsensiya sa ating pamahalaan.

Whenever I’m asked about the country’s top problems, I am also asked about the perfect solution. I believe it starts when they became aware of our innate responsibilities as citizens of this country.

My dear graduates, today marks your entry into adulthood and with it, the responsibilities to change the course of our history. It begins with getting involved in ridding our country of corrupt leaders. It begins by being agents of change in our own little and humble way. It begins with our sense of sheer responsibility to inform our relatives and neighbors, our friends and our acquaintances, even people we don’t even know but are victims of corruptions in our midst, nonetheless, that we are all being robbed by leaders that we ourselves elected to serve our interests as citizens of our country.

To me, this is the most basic and simplest solution. Pero hanggang patuloy na nakapikit ang ating mga mata at ang mata ng nakakarami at patuloy tayong nagiging bingi sa mga nangyayaring katiwalian sa ating bansa at patuloy nating iboboto ang mga tiwali sa pamahalaan, wala akong nakikitang pag-unlad para sa ating lahat.

And perhaps, we really do deserve this government and our corrupt leaders. Through hardships and under constant threats of political ostracism and black propaganda, I have consistently exposed scams and abuses perpetrated by our so-called leaders.

I suppose most of you are aware of the latest vilification campaign that serves to discredit my legitimate fight to preserve the public’s right for proper health care, quality education and most specially equal opportunities.

But I am not new to this kind of assault to my integrity as an elected leader genuinely belonging to the opposition in this benighted country.

I wish to assure you that I will not be intimidated or silenced. Hangga’t sa abot ng aking makakaya, lalabanan ko ang katiwalian, patuloy akong gagawa ng mga exposes, but I am only one voice.

Therefore, if you can join me in exposing corruption, it will go a long way in cleaning up our bureaucracy. There is only one accident in this world, and that is the accident of being born rich or poor. Everything else in life is a conscious choice.

My poor parents chose as an obsession to make all their brood of eight finish school and become professionals. At pinili naming walong magkakapatid na pahalagahan ang paghihirap ng aming mga magulang, mga dukha nguni’t mararangal, na magsikap sa aming pag-aaral upang hindi na muling balikan ang kahirapang nakamulatan naming lahat sa aming paglaki sa aming munting bayan sa Imus, Cavite.

But most importantly, I chose to adhere to a simple yet noble principle that my poor parents taught me as I was growing old: What is right must be kept right, what is wrong must be set right. Ang tama ay ipaglaban, ang mali ay labanan.

At ang aral na ito ng aking mga magulang ang siyang magiging patnubay ko at aking dadalhin hanggang sa huling hantungan.

But don’t ever forget the sacrifices of your own parents. Without them, most if not all of you will not make it here on your graduation day. Palakpakan po natin sila at bigyang pugay bilang ganti sa kanilang mga sakripisyo na nagbunga sa napakahalagang araw na ito ng inyong pagtatapos.

Whether you will use your talent to do good or to do harm, it will ultimately be up to you.

Ladies and gentlemen, I assure that it will be a struggle to become the best person that you want to be. It will be harder than you want, it will be longer than you, and it will take more out of you than to expect that it should. But it will be worth it, to be able to stand proud knowing you are in the service of country, our fellowmen and God.

My dear graduates, when you leave the portals of this institution, your beloved Alma Mater, do not forget why you came here in the first place.

I hope today will mark the beginning of a long line of opportunities to be the change you want to see in this country and this world.

Thank you very much! Good luck and Godspeed!

*****