Tag: President Rodrigo Duterte

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Ping Lacson Reiterates Appeal to De-Escalate Political Tension

Former Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Tuesday reiterated his appeal to the public to do their part to de-escalate instead of escalating the current political tension.

Lacson said that with the 2025 elections threatening to be divisive, the Filipino people must not allow the clashes among the parties concerned to add to the divisiveness.

“My appeal is for us to help de-escalate the situation instead of escalating it because nothing good will come out of the situation especially for ordinary Filipinos like us,” he said in Filipino at a press conference of the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial slate in Pasay City.

Related: Ping Lacson, Umapela Muli para Mabawasan ang Political Tension

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On the Reported ‘Blank’ Appropriations in the 2025 Budget

The bicam report on the 2025 budget that reportedly contained blank appropriations and was signed by the bicameral conference committee members looks like a repeat of the 2019 General Appropriations Act, when former President Rodrigo Duterte vetoed P95.3 billion upon the then Sotto-led Senate’s strong representation after we discovered anomalous entries in the printed Enrolled Bill that were not reflected in our ratified bicam report.

But the big difference now is, it seems nobody among the present senators dared – or cared – to scrutinize the budget documents. Hence, this controversy now brewing.

The Filipino taxpayers deserve an explanation. An examination of the Enrolled Bill printed by the House of Representatives and comparing it with the Ratified Bicam report will expose those responsible.

Unless we examine the Enrolled Bill that Congress transmitted to Malacañang, we can’t determine yet who filled in those blanks – House of Representatives, or Malacañang. A bicam report cannot be amended; it is only subject to being ratified or rejected by either or both houses.

If the Enrolled Bill is different from the ratified bicam report, the HoR being in charge of the printing should explain, as in the case of the heavily vetoed 2019 GAA. If the Enrolled Bill still contained the blank spaces, the burden shifts to the executive branch, particularly the Department of Budget and Management.

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On the Senate Hearing on the Anti-Drug War

Yesterday, the Upper Chamber was “invaded” by the former president of the republic.

Only one consistently and steadfastly stood up to preserve the dignity of the Philippine Senate. She happens to be a woman who answers, “present” during a roll call. Her name: Risa Hontiveros.

That said, I still stand by what I had expressed then. I also gave former President Duterte credit for the other good things he did while serving as President, as I had likewise called him out when he was wrong – like when he told the PNP that it was okay to receive money from illegal gambling.

Being consistently inconsistent as long as I fight for what is right is one trait I learned early from my parents whose integrity and courage to go against what is wrong no matter the cost I have never doubted and questioned.

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On the Duterte Admin’s War on Drugs

The intention was undoubtedly to fulfill a campaign promise to eliminate the pernicious effects of illegal drugs on our country and people.

The problem was on the implementation.

The police organization should not be left to their own devices. They need proper supervision.

Related: Lacson wants fully independent PNP-IAS

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Lacson assails cash ‘rewards’ system in drug war [BusinessMirror]

From BusinessMirror: Former Sen. Ping Lacson offered “unsolicited advice, as it may be,” to strengthen and make independent the PNP’s IAS, which he said, “as of now” is not functioning as well as it should owing to inherent limitations in its structure, mandate and funding.

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