From Malaya: This is just to point out that the senator keeps his position on issues come what may, whether the ship keels over or sinks, and will doggedly hold on to the ideas and ideals that he backs, whoever gets hurt or whatever pressure is applied on him to change.

Lacson sticks to politics of principles

June 10, 2021

SEN. Panfilo Lacson manages to get the notice of the mainstream media once in a while because of certain issues that he either vehemently and fiercely opposes, or those that he passionately endorses and supports. Either way, Lacson is not one who will go tepid on an issue, especially if it concerns the lives and welfare of a majority of Filipinos.

At the outset, make no mistake about it. This piece should not be construed as an endorsement for Lacson for whatever position he finally chooses to run, if he will indeed join the race this coming 2022 elections.

This is just to point out that the senator keeps his position on issues come what may, whether the ship keels over or sinks, and will doggedly hold on to the ideas and ideals that he backs, whoever gets hurt or whatever pressure is applied on him to change.

It is in this context that we see how Senator Lacson courteously declined the invitation of the opposition umbrella group 1Sambayan to be considered in their list of possible presidential candidates in the elections next year.

Reports said that 1Sambayan initially invited Lacson to serve as a reactor in a town hall meeting organized by the coalition regarding national security and foreign policy on June 19. Another one was a request from 1Sambayan for Lacson to submit a 30-second video and a one-pager profile, for possible inclusion in the short list of the group’s candidates.

Both invitations came from retired Justice Antonio Carpio, convenor of the group.

Lacson was direct to the point in his letter declining the requests, saying his participation “will be construed as lack of propriety on my end in light of your prior pronouncements suggesting that my representation will be a ‘stumbling block’ on your political endorsements.”

He said: “As any self-respecting public servant would do, it is my humble position to take it upon myself to graciously decline your invitation in honor of my personal and political convictions that I have consistently and unwaveringly adhered to, and in consideration of the supposed ‘inconsistency’ and ‘incongruence’ that these may entail to your political endeavors.”

The senator was actually reacting to a previous TV interview of Justice Carpio who said it would be “inconsistent and ‘incongruous” for the group to endorse, let alone, be identified with somebody who is one of the authors and the principal sponsor of the Anti-Terrorism Law.

It was Lacson who sponsored and pushed hard for the passage of this law, the reason he begged off.

After such a statement, Carpio should have realized that the invitations were way out of line, but he sent them to Lacson just the same. We do not believe that with their mass following, the 1Sambayan would be scraping bottom to find suitable candidates in the coming polls.