Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson swatted away as “nonsensical” the prejudgment by ex-presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo on how he and other senators would vote should the impeachment case of Vice President Sara Duterte reach the Senate.
Lacson particularly took issue with Panelo’s claim that he, Senate President Vicente Sotto III, and Senators Risa Hontiveros and Francis Pangilinan would vote to convict the Vice President.
“Why is Panelo trying to sound smarter than us? No one can speak on my behalf. And I have said this before – we’ll always be guided by the evidence. We haven’t reached the trial stage, why is he preempting us and calling us ‘pusakal/feral’?” he said in a mix of English and Filipino in an interview on Storycon on One News. “Is he a soothsayer? What if I say he’s a pusakal/feral soothsayer?”
“He isn’t just a feral dog. He’s an idiot,” Lacson said of Panelo.
In Filipino: Lacson, Tinaboy si Panelo sa ‘Prejudgment’ Nito sa Boto sa Impeachment Trial
Lacson stressed that as potential senator-judges, he and his colleagues must be circumspect in their statements, noting that the public would closely scrutinize their actions.
He added there is no reason to decide other than on the basis of evidence, as senators would be questioned if they vote to convict despite weak evidence, or to acquit despite strong evidence.
“Do we want to leave a tarnished legacy to our children and grandchildren? We are capable of discernment so he should not prejudge us. It is complete nonsense to say four senators are sure to convict the Vice President,” he said.
Lacson also noted Panelo’s “saving grace” is that his son, Salvador Paolo Panelo Jr., is well-mannered.
“This is a case of the fruit falling far from the tree. The son’s aura is different, so I respect him – and wonder, where did the son get his good manners when his father has bad ones?” he said.
“If he continues his ways, he might fall off the ceiling like some unstable lizards,” he added of the elder Panelo.
It’s the evidence stupid! Yesterday, on Storycon, my tolerance level for idiocy hit a new low when asked to react to one low hanging, ambulance chasing ‘lizard’ who tagged me as one of four “pusakal” senators who he claimed will surely convict VP Sara in an impeachment trial.
— PING LACSON (@iampinglacson) April 18, 2026
Meanwhile, Lacson reminded his Senate colleagues to refrain from making comments on the possible merits of the Vice President’s impeachment case, as they are potential senator-judges.
“I am not saying we have colleagues who are inappropriate. But we must refrain from commenting because we will be potential senator-judges,” he said.
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Lacson, Tinaboy si Panelo sa ‘Prejudgment’ Nito sa Boto sa Impeachment Trial
Tinaboy at tinawagang “nonsensical” ni Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson ang “prejudgment” ni dating presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo kung paano boboto siya at ang iba pang senador sakaling umabot sa Senado ang impeachment case laban kay Vice President Sara Duterte.
Partikular na kinontra ni Lacson ang pahayag ni Panelo na siya, si Senate President Vicente Sotto III, at sina Sen. Risa Hontiveros at Francis Pangilinan ay boboto para i-convict ang Bise Presidente.
“Bakit marunong pa siya sa amin? Ako walang pwedeng magsalita on my behalf. Sinabi ko na yan, we’ll always be guided by the evidence. Wala pa tayo doon, bakit pinangungunahan niya at tatawagan pa niya kaming pusakal?” aniya sa isang panayam sa Storycon sa One News. “Manghuhula ba siya? E kung sabihin ko siya ang pusakal na manghuhula?”
“Hindi lang siya pusakal. Ungas siya, ungas,” ani Lacson tungkol kay Panelo.
Binigyang-diin ni Lacson na bilang mga posibleng senator-judges, kailangan nilang maging maingat sa kanilang mga pahayag, lalo’t mahigpit na binabantayan ng publiko ang kanilang bawat galaw.
Dagdag pa niya, wala silang dapat maging batayan sa pagpapasya kundi ang ebidensya, dahil mapupuna sila ng publiko kung boboto silang mag-convict kahit mahina ang ebidensya, o mag-acquit kahit malakas ito.
“Yan ba ipapamana namin sa anak namin, sa mga apo namin? May mga huwisyo naman kami, huwag niya kami pangunahan kasi yan ang complete nonsense ang sasabihin mong apat ang siguradong magko-convict,” aniya.
Binanggit din ni Lacson na ang “saving grace” ni Panelo ay ang kanyang anak na si Salvador Paolo Panelo Jr., na aniya ay maayos ang asal.
“Ang anak niya ang layo ng bagsak ng prutas sa puno. Iba ang aura ng anak. Ako humahanga ako sa anak. Pero saan kumuha ng ganoong ugali ang anak, e ang tatay niya ang layo?” aniya.
“Sa kagaganyan niya baka malaglag siya sa kisame,” dagdag niya patungkol sa nakatatandang Panelo.
Samantala, pinaalalahanan ni Lacson ang kanyang mga kapwa senador na umiwas sa pagbibigay ng komento hinggil sa posibleng merito ng impeachment case laban sa Bise Presidente, dahil sila ay maaaring magsilbing senator-judges.
“Hindi ko sinasabing meron kaming kasamahan na inappropriate pero dapat huwag mag-comment, kami ang huwes,” aniya.
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