Lacson Scores Marcoleta’s Ego-Driven Actions at CA Hearing

Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Thursday scored the ego-driven actions of Sen. Rodante Marcoleta during Wednesday’s Commission on Appointments (CA) hearing on the confirmation of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) officers and foreign service officers.

Lacson called out Marcoleta’s objecting to his manifestation for the prompt confirmation of the AFP and foreign service officers’ promotions – and agreeing to withdraw his objection, if Lacson would also withdraw his manifestation.

“Gusto niya, hindi raw siya mag-object, basta i-withdraw ko rin ang manifestation (ko). Ano siya, hilo? Ang gusto niya, ego yan eh. Para naman pakita niya na in-admit ko mali ang aking manifestation. Pinag-withdraw niya ako. Sabi ko, ano siya hilo? Di ko gagawin yan, ego lang yan. Hindi ako mag-play sa ego niya (He said he would not object so long as I withdraw my manifestation. Is he nuts? What he wants is to feed his ego, to make me admit that my manifestation was wrong. So is he nuts? I refused to accommodate him all for his ego. I’m not playing to his ego),” he said in an interview on DZBB radio.

“Kilala naman natin siya. Basta maipilit ang kanya, yan ang tama. Ayaw niya makinig ng explanation, ayaw niya makinig ng reason (We know him. He wants to insist that he is right, and he does not want to hear any explanation or listen to reason),” he added.

In Filipino: Lacson, Binoljak si Marcoleta Dahil sa Ego-Driven na Galaw sa Pagdinig ng CA

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Lacson Takes Up Cudgels for AFP Officers Affected by Senate Leadership Row

Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Wednesday took up the cudgels for Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) officers whose promotions awaiting confirmation by the Commission on Appointments (CA) were delayed by the Senate leadership row that started last May.

Lacson refuted the claim of Sen. Rodante Marcoleta that the affected AFP officers were considered bypassed because they fell short of the one-year ban, or one year before they reached retirement age.

“Just for clarity, I believe and I was told by the Secretary of the Commission on Appointments that the ad interim appointments of these fine gentlemen and lady is a mere resubmission of their previous ad interim appointments given before the May 25, 2026 resumption of the first regular session. And since this is a special session, it is a continuation of the first regular session,” Lacson said at the hearing of the CA defense committee.

“Therefore, hindi pa sila pasok sa one-year ban kasi hindi naman po nila kasalanan na nagkagulo-gulo kami sa Senado at hindi na-take up ang kanilang confirmation (Therefore, they are not covered by the one-year ban because it is not their fault that there was a leadership row in the Senate that prevented their confirmation from being taken up earlier),” he added.

In Filipino: Lacson, Ipinagtanggol ang mga Opisyal ng AFP na Naapektuhan ng Alitan sa Pamunuan ng Senado

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Lacson to Marcoleta: Damn your Damdamin!

Damn your damdamin (Damn your ‘sentiments’)!

Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Tuesday thus sharply rebuked Sen. Rodante Marcoleta for his insistence that the minority bloc protest Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla’s “shouting” at Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano during the arrest of Sen. Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada last Monday.

Lacson said the minority bloc were already thankful that Remulla, who led police in serving an arrest warrant on Estrada for plunder and graft, did not punch Cayetano during the confrontation.

“So, kasalanan pa ng minority bloc na hindi nag-protesta dahil sinigawan ang Senate President natin? Actually, laking pasasalamat nga namin na hindi siya binigwasan ni Sec Jonvic dahil sa inasal niya kahapon. Damn your damdamin (So it’s our fault that we did not protest when Remulla raised his voice against the Senate President? Actually, we are thankful Remulla did not punch him because of his behavior. Damn your damdamin),” Lacson said in a post on X.

In Filipino: Lacson kay Marcoleta: Damn Your Damdamin!

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Lacson: Insisting on ‘Dividing the House’ During a Debate Means Neither Facts nor Rule on Their Side

Insisting on “dividing the house” to force a vote even in the middle of a debate is a not-so-subtle admission that neither the facts nor the rule are on their side, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Wednesday.

Lacson paraphrased a classic legal principle to illustrate the exchange at the Senate Tuesday evening, when Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano insisted on dividing the house after Lacson questioned the rules and procedure to handle a motion to amend the rules by bypassing the yet to be constituted Committee on Rules to which the said motion was referred earlier by no less than the Senate President himself.

“Apologies to lawyers, I will paraphrase a classic legal aphorism:
‘If the facts are on your side, pound the facts.
If the RULE is on your side, pound the RULE.
If neither the facts nor the RULE are on your side, MOVE TO DIVIDE THE HOUSE.’”” Lacson said on X.

In Filipino: Lacson: Pagpilit na I-‘Divide the House’ sa Gitna ng Debate, Senyales na Wala sa Panig Nila ang Katotohanan o Batas

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Lacson: Senate’s Minority Bloc Has Rules on Our Side

By staging a walkout Tuesday evening, the Senate’s “Solid Bloc 11” minority bloc showed that retreat can mean victory, especially when the rules are on our side, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Wednesday.

Lacson also called out at least one senator for showing a condescending attitude towards one of his fellow minority bloc members, Sen. Risa Hontiveros.

“Senate minority walkout: we demonstrated how to score a victory by retreating. They may have superior numbers but we have the rules on our side,” he said on X.

“When they in the majority play dirty, we in the minority will play it smart,” he added.

In Filipino: Lacson: Nasa Panig Natin ng Senado ang mga Patakaran

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