Category: Statements

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Lacson: Impeachment Court Won’t Be Above the Law in Deciding What to Do with ‘BIR Green Box’

The Impeachment Court trying the case of Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio will not and cannot be above the law in deciding what to do with the “BIR Green Box” containing the Vice President’s tax records, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson stressed Sunday.

Lacson said the disposition of the Vice President’s sealed Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) income tax return (ITR) records must be governed solely by the law and existing jurisprudence.

“The decision on the status of the sealed BIR ITR records will be dictated by law and existing jurisprudence. The Impeachment Court will not and cannot be above the law. No one else is,” he said on X.

In Filipino: Lacson: Impeachment Court, Hindi Pwedeng Mangingibabaw sa Batas sa Pagpapasya Tungkol sa ‘BIR Green Box’

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Lacson: Alex Eala a Much-Needed Detoxifier, Unifier of the Nation

On the eve of the start of the potentially divisive impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio, the nation received a much-needed dose of inspiration and unity from tennis sensation Alex Eala, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Sunday.

Lacson thanked Eala for lifting the Filipino spirit after she made history as the first Filipino player to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam singles tournament, highlighted by her dethroning of Iga Swiatek.

“She is the detoxifier that our country’s highly toxic atmosphere needs and an influential unifier of a deeply divided nation. Thank you Alex Eala for lifting the Filipino spirit. God bless you and the Philippines,” Lacson said on X.

In Filipino: Lacson: Alex Eala, ‘Detoxifier’ at Tagapagbuklod na Kailangan ng Bansa

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Lacson: Impeachment Court Not Meant to Safekeep ‘BIR Green Box’

The Impeachment Court trying the case of Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio is not meant to safekeep the so-called “BIR Green Box” containing the Vice President’s tax records, and may thus return it to the House prosecution team, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Saturday.

Lacson said the Impeachment Court cannot even decide on whether to open the box – much less unseal it – and may even risk being cited for grave abuse of discretion if it does so.

“One of the things we agreed upon in Friday’s senators’ caucus was to return the box because keeping it in our custody will violate the law. It is not the Impeachment Court or any court’s role to unseal it,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino in an interview on DZMM radio.

“Sen. Francis Escudero is right in saying the Impeachment Court has no business safekeeping the evidence because it is a court – unless it is presented and admitted as evidence before the court by the prosecution or defense,” he added.

In Filipino: Lacson: Hindi Tungkulin ng Impeachment Court na Mag-Safekeep ng ‘BIR Green Box’

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Lacson: Marcoleta Plunder Case Could Lead to a ‘Reverse Trial’

The plunder case lodged against Sen. Rodante Marcoleta could turn into a “reverse trial” with prosecutors merely sitting back while the respondent argues against the evidence that he himself placed on record, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Saturday.

Lacson noted that Marcoleta effectively made an “admission against interest” on television by acknowledging that he received cash donations for his senatorial campaign while serving as a congressman, yet failed to disclose them in his Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE).

“REVERSE TRIAL: The prosecutor may just sit and watch with folded arms while the respondent argues against himself and the damning evidence that he himself presented in plain view of all the witnesses who watched his ‘admission against interest’ on national TV,” Lacson said on X.

In Filipino: Lacson: Plunder Case ni Marcoleta, Maaaring Mauwi sa Isang ‘Reverse Trial’

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Lacson Misses ‘Tough Love’ Discipline from Parents, Teachers Amid Recent Incidents of School Violence

Amid recent incidents of school violence, including the Tacloban school shooting last June, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Thursday that he misses the brand of discipline from parents and teachers of his generation that helped keep young people from turning to crime.

Lacson recalled that his generation was taught discipline at home and in school by their parents and teachers, whose guidance – and at times, tough love – instilled respect, responsibility and accountability at an early age.

“JUVENILE JUSTICE LAW: My generation must be missing our fathers’ belts, our mothers’ bamboo sticks and our teachers’ rulers. We were disciplined, always at home for the 6 o’clock evening prayers to receive our daily blessings from our elders. Those were the days,” Lacson wrote on X.

In Filipino: Lacson, Nami-Miss ang Disiplinang May ‘Tough Love’ Mula sa Magulang at Guro sa Gitna ng mga Insidente ng Karahasan sa Paaralan

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