In an interview, Sen. Lacson answered questions on:
– removal of VP Robredo as ICAD co-chairperson
– claims the Senate is partly to blame for early SEA Games hosting woes

QUOTES and NOTES:

* ANTI-DRUG WAR:

Removal of VP Robredo as co-chair of ICAD:

“First, kailangan klaro na ang power to appoint and remove is within the authority of the President. Siya ang appointing authority. So pag may power to appoint, may power to remove. That’s clear. Ngayon when he made that announcement during a late night presscon, inevitable na yan. Ang tanong na lang doon, when? It’s only a matter of when, di pinaguusapan kung how tatanggalin or if tatanggalin. Wala na yan, given na yan. Timing na lang pinaguusapan kung kailan. And so he did last night, announce niya na tinatanggal niya.”

“Noong nagkaroon ng contentious issues na walang meeting of the minds, medyo nagkakaroon talaga ng problema. Kaya sabi ko wala nang sorpresa. Di ba sabi ko position ni VP had become untenable the moment the President announced wala na siyang tiwala?”

“Whatever the reason/s now being given, fait accompli, tinanggal na, and let’s leave it at that. I already told you during the Kapihan, it is my opinion na VP was doing the right things. Yan ang talagang gagawin, makikonsulta ka sa nakakaalam. Yan talaga ginawa niya. She met with foreign counterparts, US DEA, at may plano makipagusap sa iba pang pwedeng makatulong.”

“Wala akong nakita (na maling ginawa ni VP). But iba ang appreciation ng nag-appoint. Tayo naman parang from the outside looking in, yan ang appreciation natin. But we don’t know ano ang ibang information na pumasok sa OP that was fed to the President.”

“Naghihinayang ako. I’d say she was on the right track in addressing the problem of drugs.”

On whether PRRD needed to justify his decision:

“Di kailangan. Walang batas na nagsasabing kailangan i-justify ng nag-appoint ang pag-remove. Lack of confidence, lack of trust, sufficient reason para matanggal.”

On need for PRRD and VP Robredo to communicate:

“Sa akin sa umpisa pa lang dapat ganoon kasi medyo na-late ang paghingi ng VP ng parameters, ng scope ng kanyang authority. Na-delay din siya 1 week. Pag ako nag-appoint nag-set ng appointment 1 on 1 or with staff para ma-define ano ba ang parameters, ano ba pwedeng gawin at anong hindi pwedeng gawin. Remember, ang communication very important. Pag may miscommunication, una ang rules of the game, basic yan. Pag ang rules hindi klaro at mali ang pagka-relay, ang may problema ang nagbibigay ng instruction. Pero kung malinaw, plain at malinaw, easily understandable ang instruction at di nasunod, ang may problema ang binigyan ng instruction. Walang nangyaring ganoon. Mas maganda sana lahat ito hindsight, unang araw pa lang, nagkaroon ng pagpupulong sa pagitan ng Presidente at VP.”

“That (communication) would have made a lot of difference. Kasi defined lahat. Ngayon makikita natin kung lumampas si VP sa inaatang sa kanyang function o parameters.”

On VP Robredo’s claim she will publicize her ‘findings’:

“Kung gagawin ganoon lalong lalala, ang wedge lalapad. It’s her call. Kailangan justify niya rin. But sa akin I don’t think it’s still necessary. What for? Dahil binigyan ka ng katungkulan na gagampanan mo, ngayong natanggal ka, isisiwalat mo ang mga natuklasan mo?”

“Depende sa anong isisiwalat niya. If it is to destroy or impede ang anti-illegal drugs campaign, huwag naman sana. Pero kung natuklasan niya para ma-enhance ang fight against illegal drugs, then by all means. Pero kung may nakita siyang pagkakamali that would point to several persons that could be held criminally liable, dapat noong nasa position siya.”

On politicization of the drug war:

“Alam naman nating naging politicized ang war on drugs kasi at the outset may mga hindi sang-ayon sa methodology. And ngayon dahil nangyaring na-appoint si VP Robredo parang lalo ma-aggravate ang political divide.”

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* SEA GAMES HOSTING

On claims that Senate is partly to blame for SEA Games hosting woes, due to the delay in the passage of the 2019 budget:

“No way. Kasi di kami ang cause ng delay. Ang naka-cause ng delay P75B na in-insert ng HOR even after we both ratified the bicam report. So di kami dapat ituro kasi kami ginawa namin constitutional duty namin. You can just imagine kung pinabayaan namin for the sake of passing the budget measure on time, pinabayaan naming lumusot ang P75B. Lalong malaking debacle.”

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