Tag: PNP

Posted on

Lacson on Government Infra Program Corruption: Who is Not Guilty?

With corruption running deep in the government’s infrastructure program – from flood control projects to farm-to-market roads, among others – it may now be easier to count those who are not guilty than those who are, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson lamented Thursday.

Lacson said this after he and his staff reviewed “classified” documents of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), which he had flagged earlier for systematic anomalies in substandard and ghost flood control programs.

“Reviewing the piles of ‘classified’ DPWH documents which I shared with my staff, we all wondered aloud if the more appropriate question to ask is, ‘Who is not?’ rather than, ‘Who is guilty?’. So sad to realize how widely corrupt our government infrastructure program has gone,” he said in a post on X.

In Filipino: Lacson sa Katiwalian sa Infra Program ng Gobyerno: Sino ang Hindi Nagkasala?

Continue reading “Lacson on Government Infra Program Corruption: Who is Not Guilty?”

Posted on

On the Relief of P/Gen. Nicolas Torre III as PNP Chief

Image: CTTO

P/Gen. Nicolas Torre III acted “beyond his authority” of unilaterally relieving his second-in-command, P/Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr.

Normally, the designation (and relief) of the members of the PNP Command Group – Deputy for Administration, Deputy for Operations, and Chief, Directorial Staff should be cleared with the President or at least the ex-officio Chairman of the National Police Commission (Napolcom), and the Secretary of Interior and Local Government.

Even when former President Joseph Estrada gave me the blanket authority to run and manage the PNP during my time as Chief, PNP, I did not exercise absolute authority over the designations of the members of the Command Group.

Having said that, the relief of P/Gen. Torre is the sole prerogative of the President of the Philippines.

What is important at this point is a smooth transition and transfer of command and authority so as not to hamper the overall mission of the PNP to continue maintaining peace and order for the benefit of the people whom they have sworn to “serve and protect”.

*****

Posted on

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

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

Posted on

Ping Lacson: Torre Deserves to be Appointed as PNP Chief

P/Maj. Gen. Nicolas Torre III deserves to be appointed as the new chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) due to his being decisive and mission-oriented, Senator-elect and former PNP Chief Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said late Thursday.

Lacson, who restored the PNP’s glory days when he headed it from 1999 to 2001, said the information he has received about Torre indicates he is a “decisive, firm and mission-oriented” official.

“From what I have heard and observed about him, he’s a decisive, firm and mission-oriented official, so he deserves to be appointed as chief of the PNP,” he said in Filipino in an interview on BNC.

In Filipino: Ping Lacson: ‘Dasurb’ si Torre na Maging PNP Chief

Continue reading “Ping Lacson: Torre Deserves to be Appointed as PNP Chief”

Posted on

Ping Lacson: President Needs ‘Bastonero’ to Make Gov’t Toe the Line for Good Governance

While President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. still has enough time to make the needed adjustments to deliver good governance in the last three years of his term, he will need a trusted “bastonero” to make government officials under him toe the line.

Senator-elect Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson stressed this on Tuesday as he noted the President’s good intentions in setting aside politics and being open to reconciling with the Duterte family may be interpreted by some as “weakness.”

“The openness to reconcile with the Duterte family is very typical of PBBM as a person. Yet his kindness and the goodness of his heart in dealing with people are being interpreted by both his allies and adversaries as a weakness of his leadership. That said, he may need a strong but well-intentioned ‘bastonero’ in his Cabinet who is capable of making government officials, including members of Congress, toe the line towards good governance,” he said.

“However, the bastonero himself/herself cannot be abusive. The bastonero must be strong but well-intentioned,” he added.

In Filipino: Ping Lacson: Kailangan ng Pangulo ng ‘Bastonero’ para Matiyak ang Good Governance

Continue reading “Ping Lacson: President Needs ‘Bastonero’ to Make Gov’t Toe the Line for Good Governance”