Tag: NBI

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Lacson Cites Procedural Lapses in Senate Motions on Contempt, Rules Change

Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Tuesday raised concerns over “procedurally infirm” motions made on the Senate floor shortly after the change of leadership in the chamber last Monday.

Lacson questioned the move to cite in contempt of the Senate the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents who pursued Sen. Ronald dela Rosa through the Senate hallways Monday – and a separate move to amend the Senate rules without referring it first to the Committee on Rules.

“Procedurally incorrect or infirm ang ating ginawa. Kaya ko lang pino-point out para i-correct lang natin ang ating sarili (What was done was procedurally incorrect or infirm. I am pointing it out so we can correct it in the future),” he said in his manifestation at Tuesday’s regular session.

In Filipino: Lacson, Tinukoy ang mga Procedural Lapses sa Senate Motions Ukol sa Contempt, Pagbabago ng mga Alituntunin

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Lacson: Senate Leadership Change was ‘Ugly’ Regardless of Political Side

Regardless of what one’s political side or persuasion may be, the leadership change at the Senate on Monday was ugly, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Tuesday.

Lacson said that while he understood the reason for the now-majority’s surprise move, the accompanying drama – including Sen. Ronald dela Rosa’s claim of being pursued and “wrestled” by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) – was an unpleasant sight.

He also said Sen. Lorna Regina Legarda, who replaced him as Senate President Pro Tempore after Monday’s leadership change, could have at least informed the then majority, or then Senate President Vicente Sotto III, of her decision.

“Any way you look at it, regardless of your political persuasion, what happened on Monday was ugly. It was an unpleasant sight,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino in an interview on DZMM radio.

In Filipino: Lacson: ‘Pangit’ ang Leadership Change sa Senado, Anuman ang Panig sa Pulitika

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Lacson Warns: Chinese Sleeper Agents, PLA Members Already in PH

Chinese “sleeper agents” and even operatives from China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) are already embedded in the Philippines to engage in espionage, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Wednesday.

Lacson pressed the concerned government agencies to conduct continuous follow-up operations against those arrested in earlier anti-espionage operations.

“The whole network of espionage operations must be dismantled or at least decimated to a large degree kasi agents come and go. Inaresto mo, may papalit diyan. And I have on good information na maraming sleeper agents, even regular members of PLA na nandito. Widespread eh (The whole network of espionage operations must be dismantled or at least decimated to a large degree because agents come and go. You arrest one, another takes his/her place. And I have it on good information that there are sleeper agents and even regular members of the PLA who are here, they are widespread),” he said at the hearing of the Senate defense committee, which tackled anti-espionage bills, including Lacson’s Senate Bill 33, an act penalizing espionage and other similar offenses against national security.

In Filipino: Babala ni Lacson: Chinese Sleeper Agents, Miyembro ng PLA, Nasa Pilipinas na

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Ping Lacson Bill Updates, Expands Anti-Wiretapping Act to Cover Coups, Drugs, Money Laundering

Philippine authorities will get the much-needed added teeth to go against crimes including coup d’etat, robbery in band, highway robbery, drug-related offenses and money laundering, once a bill filed by Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson is passed into law.

Lacson said that while wiretapping has been an effective tool against such “exceptional” crimes that pose a grave threat to our nation’s security, these are not covered under the present law.

“Unfortunately, there are still certain crimes that are not covered under the said exceptional cases, which put not only the lives and property of our people in paramount danger, but also pose a grave threat to our nation’s security. The peace and order situation in the country gives testament to this fact, and thus, it is imperative to revisit RA 4200 to further enhance its effectiveness,” he said in his bill titled “An Act Expanding the Scope and Coverage of Republic Act No. 4200 Otherwise Known as an Act to Prohibit and Penalize Wiretapping and Other Related Violations of the Privacy and Communication, and for Other Purposes.”

In Filipino: Panukala ni Ping Lacson, Palalakasin at Palalawakin ang Anti-Wiretapping Act Para Sakupin ang Kudeta, Droga, Money Laundering

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On the NBI’s Filing of Charges vs PhilHealth Officials

This is one good reason why the Senate must keep going in performing our oversight function as our collective responsibility to the People of the Philippines.

Modesty aside, most of the pieces of evidence used by the National Bureau of Investigation were culled from the materials that we submitted to the Department of Justice.

We can only hope that this case reaches its logical conclusion to make all those who, without a shred of conscience in their bones, took advantage of a deadly virus to fleece government of funds intended to respond to an unprecedented health crisis that we continue to grapple with.

That said, there is more reason that we should trust DOJ Secretary Menardo Guevarra and his people at the DOJ and NBI.

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