To Malaya Business Insight: This refers to the column of former ambassador and Dean Reynaldo Arcilla, where he tried to inject political color into Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson’s recent statements on the Recto Bank incident at the West Philippine Sea.

On Rey Arcilla’s political innuendos

Readers’ Forum, July 1, 2019

THIS refers to the column of former ambassador and Dean Reynaldo Arcilla, where he tried to inject political color into Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson’s recent statements on the Recto Bank incident at the West Philippine Sea.

Please allow us to set the record straight, to help your readers distinguish the plain, unvarnished truth from the tall tales Mr. Arcilla seems fond of telling.

First: Sen. Lacson has – and remains – politically independent. As such, he does not toe the line of any particular political party.

When needed, the Senator has called out the President on some issues, including the government’s response to the latest West Philippine Sea incident. But he has no doubt expressed support for the President’s advocacies when there is need to do so, as in the case of the granting of pension increases for retired military and uniformed personnel.

Second: Contrary to the insinuation of the former ambassador and resigned dean about Amboys, Sen. Lacson is a Filipino and is pro-Filipino through and through. His suggestion to invoke the Mutual Defense Treaty is meant to produce a deterrent effect that would prevent war instead of triggering it. After all, would a superpower like China really want a nuclear war? It is quite a wonder that the former ambassador, a career diplomat at that, is clueless about this.

As for the ex-ambassador’s innuendo about President Rodrigo Duterte making a reference to Sen. Lacson, the President was referring to those calling for the deployment of Navy ships to the site, something Sen. Lacson never suggested. And last we checked, the post of presidential spokesperson has been filled. Is the former ambassador and dean angling for the job?

We hope we have disabused the minds of your readers from the baseless claims made by the former diplomat and resigned dean. It is a shame that someone who has served in the field of international relations, both as ambassador and dean, has shown not only his cluelessness but also his utter lack of discretion.

Joel Locsin
Media Relations Officer
Office of Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson