Ping Lacson to be Part of Senate’s Conscience Bloc

When the Senate of the 20th Congress convenes for the first time on Monday, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson will be part of the Senate’s “conscience bloc.”

Lacson said Saturday that the bloc will also include former Senate Presidents Vicente “Tito” Sotto III and Juan Miguel Zubiri, along with Loren Legarda – and possibly Risa Hontiveros.

He said that while the bloc will not likely be part of the majority, he hopes its name will become infectious and encourage the other senators to be conscientious.

“We hope the bloc becomes infectious. We are not saying those who don’t join us do not have a conscience. But we want those with a conscience to share our advocacies. If they don’t believe in our bloc, we are not forcing them to join,” he said in Filipino in an interview on DWIZ radio.

In Filipino: Ping Lacson, Magiging Bahagi ng ‘Conscience Bloc’ ng Senado

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On Senator Legarda’s ‘Stand’ that the CPP-NDF is Not an Enemy of the State

Well said. I could not agree more with the statement of the NTF-ELCAC.*

Senator Legarda is a friend and I respect her opinion but I cannot for the life of me agree with her stand, apparently articulated by her statement that the CPP-NPA-NDF is not an enemy of the state. Simply put, an armed terrorist group — already designated not only by the government of the Republic of the Philippines but also by the European Union, the United States of America and four other countries (Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand) — is unequivocally an enemy of the state.

That being said, any attempt to amend the Anti-Terrorism Act is a disrespect to our comrades-in-arms as well as the countless civilians who fell victims to the atrocities of this terrorist group that has lost its ideological principles over the years – they murder, they rob, they extort, they harass and intimidate and worse, indiscriminately.

Having authored and sponsored and almost single-handedly defended the legislative measure in the Senate plenary, as well as in the battle for public opinion in many fora including the media, I will not hesitate to be part of the opposition to thwart moves to amend this law in its substantive form which no less than the Supreme Court has declared as constitutional.

*****

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Finally! End to the 2019 Budget Impasse | March 26, 2019

Sen. Lacson joins colleagues in explaining their proposed solution to end the 2019 budget impasse. Sen. Lacson also answered questions on:
– Manila Water’s decision to waive fees over water supply row
– Chico River loan agreement
– claims of former policeman Eduardo Acierto

Quotes from the interview…
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Interview on DWIZ: Ending the budget impasse | March 23, 2019

In an interview on DWIZ, Sen. Lacson answers questions on:
– Senate-HOR meeting to end the budget impasse
– complaint filed by former Ombudsman and SFA vs Chinese leader before ICC
– measures to prevent future water crises
– localized peace talks with CPP-NPA

Quotes from the interview… 
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Interview on DWIZ | March 2, 2019

In an interview on DWIZ, Sen. Lacson answered questions on:
– possible delay in the signing of the 2019 budget due to House’s post-ratification pork
– need to revisit RP-US Mutual Defense Treaty amid US State Secretary Pompeo’s assurance

Quotes from the interview… Continue reading “Interview on DWIZ | March 2, 2019”