From News5: “Nung makita ko si Jonathan Morales, nagbalik-tanaw ako sa 2001-2002 na kung saan napasama siya sa Witness Protection Program. Ewan ko kung paano siya napasok dun. Inabutan niya doon si Ador Mawanay pati si Rosebud (Ong). Maya-maya na lang, nag-join na siya sa chorus na involved ako illegal drug activities,” said Lacson on One News’ Storycon.

Related: Busting the Lies vs Ping Lacson

Lacson says ‘jukebox’ whistleblowers not exactly new, clarifies tweet

May 16, 2024, 10:40 PM
By Rodolfo Dacleson II

(May 16, 2024) – Former senator Ping Lacson on Thursday clarified that his recent social media post regarding the so-called “Jukebox Gang” of whistleblowers was not connected to the probe of the Senate into the alleged leaks from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

Lacson said he only harked back to what happened over a decade ago when he was falsely accused by former PDEA agent Jonathan Morales, the main respondent in the inquiry, of being involved in drugs.

“Nung makita ko si Jonathan Morales, nagbalik-tanaw ako sa 2001-2002 na kung saan napasama siya sa Witness Protection Program. Ewan ko kung paano siya napasok dun. Inabutan niya doon si Ador Mawanay pati si Rosebud (Ong). Maya-maya na lang, nag-join na siya sa chorus na involved ako illegal drug activities,” said Lacson on One News’ Storycon.

Last Saturday, Lacson posted on X pictures of Morales, Mawanay, and Ong. In the caption, he wrote: “Enter the ‘Jukebox Gang.’ Guess who dropped the coins to make them sing?”

But he maintained that he was not referring to anyone with his question.

“Ito’y wala namang kinalaman sa pagdinig, sa hearings na isinasagawa ni Senator (Bato) Dela Rosa,” added Lacson.

Pres. Bongbong Marcos Jr. called Morales a jukebox that will play any song for a fee. Morales alleged that Marcos is linked to drugs, citing unverified PDEA documents.

Last January, former president Rodrigo Duterte also claimed that Marcos is part of PDEA’s watchlist. The agency denied this.

“Sign of the times kasi nakita naman natin kung ano ‘yung nabubuo ngayon sa horizon pagdating sa politika. ‘Yung ‘jukebox’ hindi na bago ito,” said Lacson. “Nagta-transcend. Hindi naman isang grupo lang o isang personality.”

He stressed that Morales is a ‘very unreliable’ source, adding that his accusations in the past were proven fabricated.

“Character nga itong si Morales. Meron siyang reputasyon na talagang sumasakay sa mga issue. At kung sino man ang nakikinabang sa kaniyang ginagawa, hindi natin alam ‘yun,” said Lacson.