Tag: Antonio Carpio

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Lacson: ‘Debate’ on Kalayaan Islands May Affect Pag-Asa Island Residents

The debate proposed by Sen. Rodante Marcoleta on whether the Kalayaan Island Group belongs to the Philippines may not only be agonizing and pointless, but could also potentially affect the basic right of abode of the Filipinos already living there, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Tuesday.

Lacson thus appealed to retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio and University of the Philippines professor Atty. Jay Batongbacal to spare Filipinos from such a debate.

“An earnest appeal to Justice Tony Carpio and Atty Jay Batongbacal:
Let’s spare our countrymen, especially our ‘kababayans’ from Barangay Pag-asa, KIG, Palawan from the agony of another pointless debate that might put into question their basic right of abode,” he said on his X account.

In Filipino: Lacson: ‘Debate’ sa Kalayaan Islands, Maaaring Makaapekto sa mga Residente ng Pag-asa Island

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Lacson: Palace Risking More Damage with ‘Damage Control’ Overkill on WPS Debate Issue

Image Courtesy: CNN Philippines

The more Malacañang tries damage control in the West Philippine Sea debate issue, the more it risks additional damage while worsening the deep political division in the country, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson said Saturday.

Lacson said there is no point for raising further issues since the debate between President Rodrigo Duterte and former Justice Antonio Carpio will no longer push through.

“If you try doing too much damage control and it becomes obvious, you just risk more damage. The issue is finished, there is no more debate,” he said in an interview on DWIZ radio.

“A piece of unsolicited advice to presidential spokesperson Harry Roque or those in Malacanang: It is better to just stay quiet. After all, the debate won’t push through,” he added.

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On the Prospective WPS Debate between the President and former Justice Carpio

First, a public debate is always healthy in a democratic environment – as long as it is limited to the issue at hand, and does not go down to the gutter level.

On one hand, a question comes to mind: What do we gain from the debate, assuming that it pushes through? One other dire outcome is further divisiveness that only China will benefit from.

I could almost imagine the anticipated excitement on the part of the Chinese while watching all these developments as they continue to be busy surveying more shoals within our exclusive economic zone that they can build more garrisons to pursue their expansionist agenda in the West Philippines Sea.

That said, the hype surrounding the debate should not distract us into allowing the Chinese to sneak into our territory while we argue among ourselves. That would be the last thing we need for our sovereignty and territorial integrity.

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The Heroes of 2020 [Manila Standard]

From Rudy Romero’s column in the Manila Standard: Another Hero of the Year 2020 is Senator Panfilo Lacson. After his work on the proposed General Appropriations Act for 2021, he truly deserves to be called Mr. Budget. Over the years, the former police general from Cavite has made it his mission to be conversant with the nefarious operations – overpricing, lump-summing, insertions and concealment – associated with the structuring of the national budget, especially its public-works portion.

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Letter to the Editor: Lacson reacts to Carpio: Designation different from proscription [Inquirer]

To the Inquirer: Please allow us to set the record straight regarding some points raised by former Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio in his Inquirer column, where he said Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson, along with President Duterte, are “sadly mistaken” with regard to the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) as terrorists.

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