The Senate’s redemption of the Senate from its current situation may start with a “Win,” as the minority bloc closed ranks behind Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian for Senate President, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Saturday.
Lacson described Gatchalian as “eminently qualified” for the post as he cited not only his capability but his diligence and preparedness in Senate committee hearings and other proceedings.
“He is capable, qualified and prepares for his work. In all the committee hearings he attended or presided over, he knew what he was talking about and he was prepared. So we see him as eminently qualified to become the Senate President of the 20th Congress at least,” Lacson said in a mix of English and Filipino in an interview on DZMM radio.
“We know Gatchalian is qualified and can lead the Senate to have a united front against all issues facing it,” he said in a separate interview on DZRH. “He is acceptable not only to the minority but to some members of the majority.”
In Filipino: Lacson: Pagbangon ng Senado, Maaaring Magsimula sa ‘Win’ ng Minority Bloc
Lacson also pointed out that Gatchalian, as chairman of the Senate finance committee, helped promote transparency in the shaping of the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
Asked whether he would consider becoming Senate President, Lacson said he does not entertain the possibility as the job requires a wide “gray area.”
“To be Senate President, you should know how to adapt, to give and take. You need a very wide gray area. Mine is very narrow. What’s black is black and what’s white is white for me. So I’m probably not cut out for it,” he said.
For now, Lacson said the minority bloc is hoping some members of the majority bloc would join the minority in its efforts to redeem the Senate’s integrity.
“To the minority, it is non-negotiable that we redeem the Senate’s integrity. Never in my memory as a senator have I seen the House of Representatives enjoying better public perception than the Senate,” he said.
He lamented that the Senate’s image had suffered in recent years due to developments such as passing the 2025 GAA – the most corrupt in recent history; the linking of some senators to the flood control mess; and some senators facing various charges before the Department of Justice, and Sen. Rodante Marcoleta facing charges of plunder and indirect bribery before the Ombudsman.
“In your lifetime, when else have you seen the Senate’s members facing charges like this? Only now,” he said.
Lacson cited as well the growing political divide in the Senate. He recalled minority members during the Senate presidency of Vicente Sotto III did not attend all-senators’ caucuses. Some senators have also been noted to not observe the dress code by wearing jackets and short-sleeved shirts.
The shooting incident in the Senate last May 13 could be considered the lowest point of the Senate thus far, he said. “That’s the lowest depth the Senate has sunk. I don’t see it sinking any lower.”
So low did the Senate’s image go that Lacson said there were times he considered resigning as a senator, but Sotto advised him not to.
“There were times I thought of resigning. What are we staying for when the Senate’s image is being muddied? Where is our redeeming value,” he said on One News Friday.
Lacson said senators must now reflect on what they can do to save the institution. He cited the online criticisms the Senate has gotten, noting much of this is now organic.
“Those going online now were quiet and were forced to air their grievances about the current Senate,” he said.
“Hope springs eternal. We are hoping against hope that we can redeem soonest the Senate’s image from its lowest depths,” he added.
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Lacson: Pagbangon ng Senado, Maaaring Magsimula sa ‘Win’ ng Minority Bloc
Maaaring magsimula ang pagbangon ng Senado mula sa kasalukuyan nitong kalagayan sa pamamagitan ng isang “Win,” kasunod ng pagkakaisa ng minority bloc sa suporta kay Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian bilang Senate President, ayon kay Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Sabado.
Ani Lacson, “eminently qualified” si Gatchalian para sa posisyon, at binigyang-diin hindi lamang ang kanyang kakayahan kundi pati ang kanyang kasipagan at pagiging handa sa mga committee hearing at iba pang gawain sa Senado.
“Siya naman capable, qualified, at saka nag-aaral siya talaga. Lahat na committee hearings na kanyang ina-attend o pine-preside nya even, alam niya ang sinasabi niya. Prepared siya lagi. So tingin namin eminently qualified siya to become the SP of the 20th Congress at least,” ani Lacson sa panayam sa DZMM radio.
“Alam naming qualified si Sen. Gatchalian, kaya niyang dalhin ang Senado at magkakaroon ng united front against all issues na bumabalot sa Senado ngayon,” dagdag niya sa panayam sa DZRH. “Siya ang pwedeng acceptable hindi lang sa aming minority kundi sa ilang senador sa majority sa ngayon.”
Binigyang-diin din ni Lacson na si Gatchalian, bilang chairman ng Senate finance committee, ay tumulong sa pagsusulong ng transparency sa pagbuo ng 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
Nang tanungin kung papasok ba siya sa posibilidad na maging Senate President, sinabi ni Lacson na hindi niya ito iniisip dahil ang naturang posisyon ay nangangailangan ng malawak na “gray area.”
“Dapat marunong kang makibagay, give and take. At dapat napakalawak ng iyong gray area. Ako napakanipis ng gray area ko. Kung anong black, black yan. Kung anong white, white yan. So hindi ako uubra,” aniya.
Sa ngayon, sinabi ni Lacson na umaasa ang minority bloc na may ilang miyembro ng majority bloc na sasama sa kanilang adbokasiya para ibalik ang integridad ng Senado.
“Sa amin non-negotiable na yan, kailangan isalba namin. Never in my memory sa tagal ko sa Senate wala akong naalalang panahon na nasapawan kami ng House of Representatives pagdating sa perception,” aniya.
Ipinahayag din niya ang pagkalungkot sa pagbaba ng imahe ng Senado sa mga nakaraang taon dahil sa mga isyu gaya ng pagpasa ng 2025 GAA—na tinawag na pinakamalalang usapin sa korapsyon sa kasaysayan—ang pagkakadawit ng ilang senador sa flood control mess, at mga kasong kinahaharap ng ilang mambabatas sa Department of Justice, kabilang si Sen. Rodante Marcoleta na nahaharap sa kasong plunder at indirect bribery sa Ombudsman.
“Saan ka nakakita sa whole lifetime ng Senado na may ganito karaming hinaharap na kaso? Ngayon lang,” aniya.
Binanggit din ni Lacson ang lumalalim na political divide sa Senado. Ipinunto niya na noong panahon ng Senate presidency ni Vicente Sotto III, may mga pagkakataong hindi dumadalo ang minority members sa all-senators’ caucus. May ilang senador din umano na hindi na sumusunod sa dress code at nagsusuot ng jackets at short-sleeved shirts.
Ang insidente ng pamamaril sa loob ng Senado noong Mayo 13 ay maituturing na pinakamababang punto ng institusyon sa ngayon, aniya. “Yun ang walang pupuntahan pa, wala pang ibababa pa.”
Umabot na rin sa puntong naisip niyang magbitiw bilang senador dahil sa lumalalang imahe ng institusyon, ngunit pinayuhan siya ni Sotto na huwag gawin ito.
“There are times na naisip ko yan, what for? Kasi pati kung kabi-kabila parang putik na-putik na yung Senado na nasaan na yung redeeming value namin,” aniya sa One News nitong Biyernes.
Binigyang-diin ni Lacson na dapat pag-isipan ng mga senador kung ano pa ang maaari nilang gawin upang mailigtas ang institusyon. Tinukoy niya ang mga batikos sa social media, na aniya ay kadalasan ay organiko at nagmumula sa tunay na saloobin ng publiko.
“Ang nagsasalita ngayon hindi kumikibo pero napipilitan sila dahil silakbo ng damdamin ang gustong ilabas … para ipahayag ang damdamin tungkol sa Senado sa ngayon,” aniya.
“Hope springs eternal. Laging nag-hope kami, hoping against hope, na talagang sa lalong madaling panahon, maibangon namin ang kinatatayuan ngayon ng Senado na talagang napakababa sa pananaw ng ating mga kababayan,” dagdag niya.
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