Tag: former President Noynoy Aquino

Radio, Statements

Ping: PNP Protektahan Dapat ang Mamamayan, Hindi Armasan

Bago pa man ikonsidera ang pag-aarmas sa mga civilian “volunteers” para maawat ang paglaganap ng krimen, dapat ipakita muna ng Philippine National Police (PNP) na kaya nitong protektahan ang publiko, ayon kay Senador Panfilo Lacson.

Ayon kay Lacson na namuno sa PNP taong 1999 hanggang 2001, dapat maging mas mahigpit ang PNP sa pag-isyu ng Permits to Carry Firearms Outside Residences (PTCFORs) sa mga sibliyan kabilang na ang mga senador, kongresman at iba pang matataas na opisyal ng pamahalaan.

“The PNP should make it a point first to show that it is efficient, professional, and competent to protect civilians on the streets from malefactors – including those with unlicensed guns and irresponsible gun holders that make them a threat – before it issues PTCFORs to deputize civilian ‘volunteers’ as force multipliers,” paliwanag ni Lacson sa panayam ng Teleradyo.

“Otherwise, the public would wonder if the PNP is that helpless to ask for help from civilians,” dagdag ng mambabatas. “Besides, we do not want guns to end up with those prone to road rage and similar incidents.”

Read in ENGLISH: Lacson: PNP Should Serve and Protect Our Citizens, Not Arm Them
Continue reading “Ping: PNP Protektahan Dapat ang Mamamayan, Hindi Armasan” →

Radio, Statements

Lacson: PNP Should Serve and Protect Our Citizens, Not Arm Them

Before entertaining thoughts of arming civilian “volunteers” to help stop criminality, the Philippine National Police (PNP) should focus on showing it can protect them, Senator and former PNP Chief Panfilo M. Lacson said.

Lacson also reiterated the PNP must be stricter especially in issuing Permits to Carry Firearms Outside Residences (PTCFORs) to civilians including senators, congressmen and other ranking government officials.

“The PNP should make it a point first to show that it is efficient, professional, and competent to protect civilians on the streets from malefactors – including those with unlicensed guns and irresponsible gun holders that make them a threat – before it issues PTCFORs to deputize civilian ‘volunteers’ as force multipliers,” Lacson, who headed the PNP from 1999 to 2001, said in an interview on TeleRadyo.

“Otherwise, the public would wonder if the PNP is that helpless to ask for help from civilians,” he added. “Besides, we do not want guns to end up with those prone to road rage and similar incidents.”

Basahin sa TAGALOG: Ping: PNP Protektahan Dapat ang Mamamayan, Hindi Armasan
Continue reading “Lacson: PNP Should Serve and Protect Our Citizens, Not Arm Them” →

Photos

On the Passing of Former President Benigno Aquino III

“Hearing the news of PNoy’s passing is heartbreaking. He served his country very well with humility, honor and integrity. It was a privilege to have served with him, both in the Senate and the Executive Department, but more than that, to be his friend.”

Statements

Ping: May Pondo sa Dagdag-Suweldo ng Gov’t Workers, Re-Enacted Man ang Badyet

salaryhike

Re-enacted man o maging batas na ang P3.7-trilyon na pambansang badyet para sa 2019, kailangang ipatupad na ngayong buwan ang umento sa suweldo ng mga kawani ng pamahalaan.

Ito ang naging tugon ni Senador Panfilo Lacson sa pagkakabalam sa pagpapatupad sa pagtaas sa suweldo ng mga empleyado ng pamahalaan, na ayon sa Department of Budget and Management (DBM) ay bunga ng hindi pa pagkakapasa sa pambansang gastusin para ngayong taon.

“Mr. DBM Secretary, implement the salary increase now. It is not unconstitutional. It has basis in law and there is PhP99.446 billion under the MPBF in the 2018 budget,” mensahe ni Lacson sa pamunuan ng ahensiya sa pamamagitan ng kanyang Twitter account.

“Pointing to a re-enacted budget won’t fly,” dagdag pa ng mambabatas.

Related: Lacson: Reenacted Budget Doesn’t Block Government Workers’ Pay Hike
Continue reading “Ping: May Pondo sa Dagdag-Suweldo ng Gov’t Workers, Re-Enacted Man ang Badyet” →

Statements

Lacson: Reenacted Budget Doesn’t Block Government Workers’ Pay Hike

salaryhike

The stalemate over the proposed P3.7-trillion budget for 2019 should not be a reason to put on hold a scheduled salary increase for government workers, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson said Thursday.

Lacson said the Department of Budget and Management can use P99.446 billion under the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund (MBPF) in the 2018 budget for the purpose.

“Mr. DBM Secretary, implement the salary increase now. It is not unconstitutional. It has basis in law and there is PhP99.446 billion under the MPBF in the 2018 budget,” he said in a post on his Twitter account.

“Pointing to a re-enacted budget won’t fly,” he added.

Related: Ping: May Pondo sa Dagdag-Suweldo ng Gov’t Workers, Re-Enacted Man ang Badyet
Continue reading “Lacson: Reenacted Budget Doesn’t Block Government Workers’ Pay Hike” →

Essays, Online

Haiyan: An Unforgettable Chapter in My Public Service Career [published in The Manila Times]

Sen. Lacson’s essay on Yolanda/Haiyan, five years after, as published in The Manila Times: “In sum, Haiyan is one chapter in my public service career I will never forget — extremely difficult, many times frustrating, yet satisfying only because I worked with very competent staff and consultants who didn’t mind the limitations imposed by our own government in all aspects.”  Continue reading “Haiyan: An Unforgettable Chapter in My Public Service Career [published in The Manila Times]” →

Statements

On the Reported ‘Direct Hand’ of Mayor Sara Duterte in the House’s Leadership Change

If talks about Mayor Sara Duterte having a direct hand and influence in the change of House leadership were true, it may not speak well of President Duterte’s much-touted “strong leadership.”

Any power or authority delegated outside the official chain of the government bureaucracy should not only be discouraged, but challenged and checked at the soonest possible opportunity.

We should not have a repeat of our past experiences under the previous administrations from Marcos to PNoy, where persistent talks of interventions and influence-peddling by relatives of sitting presidents did not help any in the efficient and smooth management of state affairs.

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In the News, Statements

On the possible culpability of former President Aquino over DAP

In 2012, I recall being the first one to question the issuance of DBM Circular 541 during the budget deliberations on general principles of the 2013 GAA. I argued then that savings cannot be declared in the middle of the year. That early, I already sensed something ominous with that move of the DBM.

As it turned out, the unused appropriations in the first semester of the 2013 national budget were pooled to constitute what was later known as funds for the DAP. Worse, these proclaimed savings were realigned to fund additional pork barrel allocations of several senators and congressmen, further aggravated by the ill-timed conviction of the late Chief Justice Renato Corona by the Senate acting as an impeachment court, and in direct contravention of Art. VI, Sec. 25, Paragraph 5 of the 1987 Constitution, which clearly proscribes cross-border realignment.

While I feel for the former president, the question on his possible culpability on the actions taken by his DBM secretary will largely depend on the documents and paper trail made available to the Ombudsman prosecutors to prove or disprove his direct or indirect participation.

What is clear, though, is that former President Aquino did not pocket any DAP money, hence the case filed is for usurpation of legislative powers and not violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

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In the News, Radio, Statements

Interview on DZBB | April 22, 2018

In an interview on DZBB, Sen. Lacson answered questions on:
– challenges facing new PNP chief Albayalde and new BuCor chief dela Rosa
– criticisms vs anti-drug war from the US State Department and EU Parliament
– claims of ‘utang na loob’ and the Blue Ribbon report
– ‘extortion’ racket at Boracay
– update on National ID bill

Quotes from the interview…  Continue reading “Interview on DZBB | April 22, 2018” →

In the News, Statements

#PingTweets: On graft accusations vs former President Aquino

tweet0411-dengvaxia

Statements

On the NDF’s Reported Arrest Order vs Former President Aquino, Others over Violent Kidapawan Dispersal in 2016

It is the responsibility of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police, as well as all law-abiding citizens of this country, to protect former President Aquino and all those placed under the liquidation list of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) who, by any definition, are enemies of the state.

Having said that, there is only one duly constituted authority that can mete out any form of penalty against anybody found violating the laws of the land, and that is a court of law of the Republic of the Philippines. Anybody else is unauthorized and therefore illegal.

Hence, they should be made criminally liable if and when they perform such criminal act.

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Statements

On President Aquino’s First Year in Office

Considering the enormous problems inherited by President Aquino from Mrs. Arroyo last year, I would be prudent enough to wait for another year to judge him as our country’s leader.

In the meantime, I will remain optimistic mainly because he is one leader who is honest and full of integrity, which to me are good enough as foundation to propel the country towards the direction that we all desire.

I would rather congratulate President Aquino for his efforts to rebuild the country from the crumbs – if any – that Mrs. Arroyo and her band of thieves left when they stepped down from power.

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Statements

Statement on Former President Corazon C. Aquino

Few have contributed so much for the democratic space Filipinos now possess. Let us all pray for the turnaround of Cory’s condition and her recovery.

Now that the institutions of that democracy have been weakened by continuous and continuing assaults by the powers that be, all the more does the nation need her uncompromising faith in democracy and her unflinching advocacy for good governance.

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