Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson will not be part of any possible recommendation to sanction Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa over his absence from the Senate, if it comes to that.
Lacson said Tuesday that he has no moral authority on the matter because he faced a similar situation where he was forced to go into hiding in the 2010s.
“I will not be part of any recommendation to sanction him if it comes to that in relation to his long absence for one simple reason – I have no moral authority as I was in almost the same situation more than 15 years ago,” he said.
In Filipino: Lacson, Hindi Kasali sa Posibleng Rekomendasyon para Parusahan si Sen. dela Rosa
On Tuesday, Lacson discussed with Senate President Vicente Sotto III possible options on the case of dela Rosa, who has been absent from Senate sessions since November 2025.
Lacson was forced into hiding from 2010 to 2011 as a “fugitive from injustice,” refusing to “suffer for a crime I did not commit.”
No less than the Supreme Court eventually cleared Lacson of the supposed charges.
Dela Rosa has been in hiding since Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant against him as an accused in the case stemming from the last administration’s war on drugs.
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Lacson, Hindi Kasali sa Posibleng Rekomendasyon para Parusahan si Sen. dela Rosa
Hindi magiging bahagi si Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson ng anumang posibleng rekomendasyon para parusahan si Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa kaugnay ng kanyang pagliban sa Senado, kung mangyari man ito.
Ayon kay Lacson nitong Martes, wala siyang moral authority sa usapin na ito dahil naranasan din niya ang katulad na sitwasyon kung saan napilitan siyang magtago noong dekada 2010.
“I will not be part of any recommendation to sanction him if it comes to that in relation to his long absence for one simple reason – I have no moral authority as I was in almost the same situation more than 15 years ago,” ani Lacson.
Nitong Martes, tinalakay ni Lacson kasama si Senate President Vicente Sotto III ang mga posibleng hakbang ukol sa kaso ni dela Rosa, na hindi lumahok sa mga sesyon ng Senado mula Nobyembre 2025.
Sa kaso ni Lacson, napilitan siyang magtago mula 2010 hanggang 2011 bilang isang “fugitive from injustice,” matapos tumanggi siyang danasin ang parusa sa krimeng hindi niya ginawa.
Hindi naglaon, pinawalang-sala ng Korte Suprema si Lacson sa mga umano’y kaso laban sa kanya.
Si dela Rosa naman ay nagtatago mula nang sinabi ni Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla na naglabas ang International Criminal Court ng arrest warrant laban sa kanya bilang akusado sa kasong kaugnay ng war on drugs ng nakaraang administrasyon.
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