Public outrage over the corruption behind anomalous flood control projects must continue, but not at the expense of the Constitution, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Sunday.
Lacson said recent proposals such as a so-called “transition council” and a supposed military-backed “reset” are all unconstitutional, and those behind them might as well “dream on.”
“I hope such military-backed intervention would not happen because nothing good can come out of it,” Lacson, who said Saturday that the public must stay angry but not violent, said in a mix of Filipino and English in an interview on DZBB radio.
“There are so many people with active imaginations. During times of crisis like this, we cannot blame them for thinking up extra-legal and unconstitutional ways, perhaps in their passion to change the system because they saw how systemic corruption has become,” he added.
In Filipino: Lacson, Tinabla ang Panawagang Military-Backed “Reset” o “Junta” Dulot ng Iskandalo sa Katiwalian
When asked if he had heard of such movements in the military, Lacson said he has received messages from some retired military officials but refused to entertain them.
“Sa akin may nag-udyok (at) gusto civil-military junta. May mga nagme-message retired military hindi ko ibabanggit ang pangalan, dine-dedma ko nga. Meron pang offer maging part ako ng junta, ng council. Kaya dine-dedma ko (Some retired military officers have reached out to me about a civil-military junta. Some even offered that I be part of the ‘council’ after the junta. But I did not entertain them),” he said.
In rejecting unconstitutional changes of leadership, Lacson pointed out that under the 1987 Constitution, the succession of leadership ends with the House Speaker. He said this was why he filed his “Designated Survivor” bill that extends the line of succession to include the most senior Senate and House member.
Also, Lacson noted that the Catholic Church leadership is not in favor of violence, based on a recent talk he attended with Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines president Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David.
“We had a positive talk because it sought the good of the country and not violence. I am glad that the Catholic Church is also after punishing the corrupt but not favoring violence. After all, what good will violence do for the nation?” he said.
On the other hand, Lacson said there have been positive steps taken by the government in recent days, including the issuance of arrest warrants for ex-Rep. Elizaldy Co and several others.
In the Senate, he said the majority and minority blocs are virtually one in introducing reforms to the budget process to make sure that the 2026 budget is transparent and corruption-free and that the corruption that plagued the budgets from 2023 to 2025 will not be repeated.
Lacson said the 2025 budget was the worst he has seen, as those behind indecent insertions – including the diversion of P50 billion in unprogrammed funds for infrastructure projects in 2024, P30 billion of which went to flood control projects – became too greedy and pushed their luck until the issue exploded.
“The majority and minority in the Senate are virtually one in making sure the 2026 budget will be transparent, so there will be no repeat of the corruption in the budgets from 2023 to 2025,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lacson reiterated the Blue Ribbon Committee, which he chairs, will help the government in going after those behind the anomalous flood control projects by furnishing them with copies of the committee’s findings.
“On the aspect of investigation, we can provide the DOJ and Ombudsman copies of evidence we gathered, even if there is no committee report yet – so they can use the evidence to go after those involved,” he said.
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Lacson, Tinabla ang Panawagang Military-Backed “Reset” o “Junta” Dulot ng Iskandalo sa Katiwalian
Bagama’t dapat magpatuloy ang galit ng publiko sa katiwalian sa likod ng maanomalyang flood control projects, hindi dapat ito humantong sa paglabag sa Konstitusyon, giit ni Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Linggo.
Ani Lacson, ang mga panukala tulad ng tinatawag na “transition council” at umano’y military-backed “reset” ay pawang labag sa Konstitusyon, kung kaya’t ang mensahe niya sa mga nagtutulak nito ay “Dream on.”
“Huwag naman sana mangyari kasi walang magandang maidudulot,” sinabi ni Lacson sa panayam sa DZBB, matapos niyang ipanawagan noong Sabado na dapat manatiling galit ngunit hindi marahas ang publiko.
“Maraming malikot ang isip. Kasi pag may ganitong crisis, lalo pa ngayong napakatalamak ng katiwalian, minsan ‘di mo masisi ang iba mag-isip ng kung anu-ano. Extra-legal, unconstitutional ang naiisip nila—siguro dala ng passion na baguhin ang sistema dahil nakitang systemic ang corruption,” dagdag niya.
Nang tinanong kung may narinig siyang pag-udyok sa militar, binanggit ni Lacson na nakatanggap siya ng mensahe mula sa retiradong taga-militar nguni’t hindi niya sila pinatulan.
“Sa akin may nag-udyok (at) gusto civil-military junta. May mga nagme-message retired military hindi ko ibabanggit ang pangalan, dine-dedma ko nga. Meron pang offer maging part ako ng junta, ng council. Kaya dine-dedma ko,” aniya.
Sa pagtutol sa “unconstitutional” na pagpalit ng liderato, binigyang-diin ni Lacson na sa ilalim ng 1987 Constitution, ang linya ng succession ay nagtatapos sa House Speaker. Ito ang dahilan kung bakit niya inihain ang kanyang “Designated Survivor” bill upang palawigin ang succession line at isama ang pinakamatandang miyembro ng Senado at Kamara.
Tinukoy din ni Lacson na ang pamunuan ng Simbahang Katolika ay tutol sa karahasan, batay sa isang pag-uusap niya kamakailan kay Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines president Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David.
“Maganda ang usapan namin kasi para sa ikabubuti ng bansa, hindi sa ikagugulo. Natuwa ako na ang Catholic Church, ang panawagan habulin ang corrupt, huwag magnasa ng kaguluhan o karahasan. Kasi pag nauwi sa violence, anong idudulot na maganda sa bansa natin?” aniya.
Binanggit din ni Lacson na may mga positibong hakbang na ginagawa ang gobyerno kamakailan, kabilang ang pag-isyu ng arrest warrants laban kay dating Rep. Elizaldy Co at ilang iba pa.
Sa Senado, sinabi niyang halos nagkakaisa ang majority at minority blocs sa pagtutulak ng mga reporma sa budget process upang matiyak na ang 2026 budget ay magiging transparent at walang bahid ng korapsyon—at upang hindi na maulit ang nangyaring katiwalian mula 2023 hanggang 2025.
Tinawag ni Lacson na ang 2025 budget ang “pinakamasama” na kanyang nakita, dahil ang mga nasa likod ng mga katakot-takot na pagsingit — kabilang ang pag-divert ng P50 bilyon mula sa unprogrammed funds noong 2024, na P30 bilyon dito ay napunta sa flood control projects — ay naging sobrang gahaman at patuloy na nagtangka hanggang sumabog ang isyu.
“Halos magkaisa kami, majority and minority, parang isa na lang ang direction na gusto naming tahakin: gawing transparent ang budget para hindi na maulit ang 2023-2025 budgets,” aniya.
Samantala, muling iginiit ni Lacson na ang Blue Ribbon Committee, na siya ring namumuno, ay makikipagtulungan sa gobyerno sa paghahabol sa mga nasa likod ng iregular na flood control projects sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay sa kanila ng kopya ng mga natuklasan ng komite.
“Sa aspeto ng investigation, puwede kaming magpadala ng kopya kahit wala pang Committee Report. Formality lang ang report. Hindi lang ito para sa legislation; puwede rin naming i-copy furnish ang DOJ at Ombudsman para magamit nila ang testimonies mula sa pagdinig,” paliwanag niya.
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