To The Manila Times: PLEASE allow us to disabuse the minds of your readers amid the national gaslighting (a.k.a. the unfounded attack on being pro-Philippines) that Rigoberto Tiglao is passing off as a column.
Senator Lacson’s office: Tiglao’s ‘three stooges’ columns say ‘nothing of value’
By Letters to the Editor, February 8, 2026
PLEASE allow us to disabuse the minds of your readers amid the national gaslighting (a.k.a. the unfounded attack on being pro-Philippines) that Rigoberto Tiglao is passing off as a column. It is sad that he wasted two days’ worth of The Manila Times’ column space — “Three stooges on the South China Sea issue” and “Debunking the 3 Senate stooges’ claim,” published on Feb. 4 and 6, 2026, respectively — talking a lot while saying absolutely nothing, or at least nothing of value for the Filipino people.
It is deeply disturbing that Tiglao’s attack on Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson, Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Sen. JV Ejercito betrays his true colors. After all, name-calling is the classic refuge of those who have hopelessly and obviously lost an argument based on facts.
To debunk his claims against Senator Lacson: the senator was merely thinking aloud why some are quick to defend China’s officials from caricatures, yet kept silent while Filipino fishermen are harassed and Filipino uniformed personnel are being attacked. We should not forget that Navy Seaman First Class Jeffrey Facundo lost his thumb during an encounter with China at Ayungin Shoal in 2024.
Senator Lacson’s point is simple: If some can condemn a fellow Filipino over a caricature that they believe “disrespects” a Chinese official, can they not be at least consistent — if they cannot be patriotic — and condemn the foreign power that caused actual physical harm to Filipinos? If they can’t, the public should not be blamed for perceiving them as “pro-China.”
As for Tiglao’s convenient claim that Senator Lacson’s reasoning follows a supposed “American strategy,” perhaps he would care to explain that to Seaman First Class Facundo himself. Can he tell the Filipino serviceman who was injured while defending our territory that his sacrifice was part of a Western “script”?
It is curious that Tiglao, so quick and obsessive to brand pro-Philippine senators as “stooges” of the West, appears so defensive of blatant violations of our maritime rights. If his logic dictates that any defense of our territory is merely American puppetry, we are forced to ask: will his next column advocate for the total surrender of our Kalayaan Group of islands?
We hope this response sets the record straight regarding the fictional yarn that Tiglao spent two columns spinning. Rest assured that while Tiglao is busy defending China’s interests, Senator Lacson will continue to defend those of the Philippines.
Thank you very much.
Respectfully yours,
Joel Locsin
Media relations officer
Office of Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson