Lacson: Filipinos’ Loyalty Must Be to the Philippines, Not Other Nations

Filipinos’ loyalty must be to the Philippines, not to other nations.

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson emphasized this on Thursday as he again criticized the recent actions of an elected Philippine lawmaker, which he said appeared to serve foreign interests.

“We should love the Philippines more than any country. Regardless of what is at stake, we are Filipinos. We must look after the Philippines’ interests, not those of other countries,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino, in an interview on DZRH radio.

In Filipino: Lacson: Katapatan ng Mga Pilipino ay Dapat sa Pilipinas, at Hindi sa Ibang Bansa

Lacson criticized the pattern of actions by Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, who earlier questioned the benefits for the Philippines in applying for a non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council. The permanent members include the US, UK, China, France, and Russia.

Even as a non-permanent member, Lacson said, the Philippines would have a greater role in advancing its national and regional interests, and allow it to participate more actively in discussions on global peace and security.

“Definitely less than China’s gains in having a permanent seat but a non-permanent seat will give the Philippines greater diplomatic influence and opportunity to advance national and regional interests, ability to sponsor resolutions, not to mention international prestige,” he said in a post on X earlier this week.

“You will have a degree of diplomatic influence. That is important to us,” he added in the DZRH interview.

Lacson said Marcoleta’s pattern also includes badgering Philippine military and civilian officials to discredit the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (Namria)’s map of the West Philippine Sea – even after two laws – the Philippine Maritime Zones Act (Republic Act 12064) and the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act (RA 12065) – signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in November 2024 – asserted the country’s territorial integrity and rights over all its maritime zones, including the WPS.

He said the latest badgering incident occurred Wednesday during the confirmation hearing of the Commission on Appointments’ defense committee for the promotion of military officers – where Marcoleta “badgered” an Army officer on the West Philippine Sea, such that Sen. Jinggoy Estrada had to manifest that the WPS issue is more a domain of the Navy and Coast Guard.

“He tries to find a military general who agrees with his views. What can a military officer seeking confirmation before the CA do under scrutiny when he can invoke Section 20 to block his confirmation? So who is his audience, China?” Lacson said.

Even fellow senators were not spared badgering by Marcoleta, he said. He noted Senate foreign relations committee chairman Erwin Tulfo reported to Senate President Vicente Sotto III that Marcoleta was insisting that he invite representatives from Namria and other personalities to a Senate hearing where he would question the Philippines’ map.

In his privilege speech Tuesday, Lacson also noted many of Marcoleta’s claims on the WPS issue – including contesting the discovery and occupation by Tomas Cloma of the Spratly Islands – mirrored those of China as contained in the website of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

“This question is not personal, but for the country. Who are you trying to protect? What does China have that you are acting so consistently in this way?” Lacson said, addressing Marcoleta.

Pilipino tayo. Mag-iba man ang ating anyo – kumulubot ang balat, mabawasan ng ngipin at malagas ng buhok – kahit tayo ay magpa-botox, magpustiso at magpeluka – Pilipinas pa rin ang ating bansa na dapat nating mahalin, itaguyod at ipangtanggol.

— PING LACSON (@iampinglacson) March 12, 2026

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Lacson: Katapatan ng Mga Pilipino ay Dapat sa Pilipinas, at Hindi sa Ibang Bansa

Ang katapatan ng mga Pilipino ay dapat sa Pilipinas, at hindi sa ibang bansa.

Binigyang-diin ito ni Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Huwebes habang muling kinuwestiyon ang mga kamakailang kilos ng isang halal na mambabatas ng Pilipinas, na ayon sa kanya ay tila kumakatawan sa interes ng ibang bansa.

“Dapat mahalin natin ang Pilipinas more than any country. Kung ano man ang at stake, Pilipino tayo. Dapat Pilipinas ang ating pinapangalagaan, hindi ang interest ng ibang bansa,” aniya sa isang panayam sa DZRH radio.

Kinuwestiyon ni Lacson ang pattern ng mga kilos ni Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, na noong nakaraan ay nagtanong tungkol sa mga benepisyo para sa Pilipinas sa pag-aaplay bilang non-permanent member ng United Nations Security Council. Kasama sa permanent members ang US, UK, China, France, at Russia.

Ani Lacson, kahit bilang non-permanent member, magkakaroon ang Pilipinas ng mas malaking papel sa pagtataguyod ng pambansa at rehiyonal na interes, at magkakaroon ng mas aktibong partisipasyon sa mga diskusyon tungkol sa pandaigdigang kapayapaan at seguridad.

“Definitely less than China’s gains in having a permanent seat but a non-permanent seat will give the Philippines greater diplomatic influence and opportunity to advance national and regional interests, ability to sponsor resolutions, not to mention international prestige,” aniya sa isang post sa X nitong nakaraang linggo.

“Meron kang diplomatic influence maski papaano. Importante yan,” dagdag niya sa panayam sa DZRH.

Ayon kay Lacson, bahagi rin ng pattern ni Marcoleta ang paulit-ulit na pagtatanong sa mga opisyal ng militar at sibilyan ng Pilipinas upang kuwestiyunin ang mapa ng National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (Namria) ng West Philippine Sea – kahit na dalawang batas – ang Philippine Maritime Zones Act (RA 12064) at ang Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act (RA 12065) – na pirmado ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. noong Nobyembre 2024 – ay malinaw na nagtataguyod ng teritoryal na integridad ng bansa at karapatan sa lahat ng maritime zones nito, kabilang ang WPS.

Aniya, ang pinakabagong insidente ng paulit-ulit na pagtatanong ay naganap noong Miyerkules sa confirmation hearing ng defense committee ng Commission on Appointments para sa promosyon ng mga opisyal ng militar – kung saan “bina-badger” ni Marcoleta ang isang Army officer tungkol sa West Philippine Sea, kaya kinailangan ni Sen. Jinggoy Estrada na ipahayag na ang WPS ay mas nasa domain ng Navy at Coast Guard.

“Ang kanyang naratibo, naghahanap siya ng military general na sasang-ayon sa kanya. Siyempre anong magagawa ng tao under scrutiny para ma-confirm? E i-invoke niya ang Sec 20 hindi ma-confirm ang kawawang official pag di sumang-ayon sa kanya… Bina-badger mo ang testigo o resource person para sumang-ayon sa gusto mo. Anong motibo? Naghahanap ka ng para maipagmalaki ka military officer ito sumasang-ayon sa atin. Kaya tanong ko nga, ano ba audience mo? China?” ani Lacson.

Aniya, pati ang ilang kapwa senador ay hindi nakaligtas sa ganitong pamamaraan ni Marcoleta. Binanggit niya na iniulat ng chairman ng Senate foreign relations committee na si Erwin Tulfo kay Senate President Vicente Sotto III na iginiit ni Marcoleta na imbitahan ang mga kinatawan ng Namria at iba pang personalidad sa isang Senate hearing kung saan kuwestiyunin niya ang mapa ng Pilipinas.

Sa kanyang privilege speech nitong Martes, binanggit din ni Lacson na maraming pahayag ni Marcoleta tungkol sa isyu ng WPS – kabilang ang pagkuwestiyon sa pagtuklas at okupasyon ni Tomas Cloma sa Spratly Islands – ay kahawig ng mga pahayag ng China na nakalagay sa website ng Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) ng China.

“Hindi na personal, para sa bayan na lang. Sino ba ang pinoprotektahan mo? Ano bang meron ang China sa iyo? Bakit ganyan ka, napaka-consistent mo?” tanong ni Lacson kay Marcoleta.

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