Lacson: ‘I’m The Most Qualified’ To Be President; Declares He’s Physically Fit For Rigors Of The Job

“I’ll be a bit arrogant: I’m the most qualified, I’m the most competent, I’m the most experienced.” 

This was the statement of Sen. Panfilo Lacson when asked why he wouldn’t vote for any of his rivals for the presidency during a one-on-one interview with  Boy Abunda on Monday, Jan. 24. 

“As (former Philippine National Police) chief I was able to fight corruption, and as senator I am still doing it. That’s why I have many enemies in the Senate. I block insertions. I don’t get pork barrel. Pork barrel per se is not bad. But the perception is that those who use it get commissions. That is why I decided not to use it,” Lacson told Abunda. Pork barrel is Priority Development Assistance Fund or PDAF. 

Lacson also said competence, experience, and track record as well as the physical fitness and integrity for the rigors of the job are the main traits that qualify him to be the nation's next leader. 

“If we talk of competence, experience and track record, I'm the one,” Lacson said Monday on "Ikaw na Ba? The Presidential Interviews on dzBB," when asked if he should be the next president. 

Lacson noted that during his 30 years as law enforcer, he earned a reputation as a tough, no-nonsense police officer who strictly enforced a "no-take" policy - rejecting bribes and hush money from criminal gangs and those transacting with the PNP. 

In his 18 years as senator, he exposed corruption in all its forms, and pushed for the abolition of PDAF and made sure that the pork barrel he did not use were returned to the national treasury. 

Also, Lacson said he is physically fit for the rigors of the presidency, noting that while he would be physically 74 years old should he assume office on June 30, 2022, his recent physical tests show his body age at a much younger 51. 

"So, age doesn’t matter if it doesn’t show and if you don’t feel it," he said, adding he has no vices such as drinking or smoking. 

Lacson reiterated that as president, he would not only be strict but would practice leadership by example – the formula that let him discipline the PNP when he headed it from 1999 to 2001. 

Part of this leadership by example would be the signing of a waiver of his bank secrecy rights and encouraging Cabinet members to do the same – all in his first day in office. 

On the other hand, he said he would end corruption by applying only one standard in punishing wrongdoing – even if it involves close friends and allies. 

“Ang moral ascendancy or moral authority, ‘pag wala ka nito, paano ka magpapatupad (Without moral authority, how can you lead properly)?" he said. 

Lacson has vowed to fix the ills of government (Aayusin ang gobyerno, aayusin ang buhay ng bawat Pilipino) and go after robbers especially those in government (Uubusin ang magnanakaw). 

Peace talks 

Lacson also said peace talks with communist rebels – combined with the development of areas cleared of the presence of New People's Army's (NPA) guerillas – will continue under his administration if elected president in the May elections. 

Lacson, who is chairman and standard-bearer of Partido Reporma, said at the end of the day, the rebels are also Filipinos. 

"First, we will continue the peace talks. Let's not forget that they are also Filipinos," Lacson said on dzBB. 

But he maintained this must be combined with an honest-to-goodness implementation of development programs for areas cleared of the NPA's presence.  

Without the development projects, he said continued poverty would force many NPAs who have surrendered to join the insurgency again. 

Lacson said the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) was a good concept but was badly implemented, such that areas that needed funds did not get any while those that did not need funds received billions of pesos. 

"Areas with many surrenderees  are denied the funds they need. This is what we should correct," he said, adding that while the NTF-ELCAC is the right approach to bring rebels back to mainstream society, it should be implemented right. 

Lacson elaborates on ‘sayang,’ ‘naku’ comments on Duterte, China 

With his “sayang” and “naku” comments on President Duterte and China gaining traction on social media, Lacson explained his position further on Monday in an interview on Bombo Radyo. 

Lacson made these one-word comments during the presidential interview by GMA 7’s broadcast journalist Jessica Soho aired on Saturday night, Jan. 22. On Bombo Radyo, the longtime public servant elaborated on them. 

“I said ‘sayang’ (what a waste) because firstly, for all his noble intentions, his pure intentions and his sincerity against illegal drugs, President Duterte should have succeeded if his implementation was correct, without the PNP having to resort to extrajudicial means,” Lacson said in a mix of English and Filipino. 

“Second, again because of his immense popularity, his overwhelming mandate, the people would support him in his fight against corruption because it was his primary advocacy. But along the way in his implementation, we saw that it wasn’t the only standard,” Lacson added. 

“If allies and friends are involved (in issues), it seems his treatment was different.” 

Thirdly, on the West Philippine Seam (WPS), Lacson explained Filipino fishermen should not have suffered given Duterte’s close friendship with Chinese President Xi Jinping and China.  

“About 1,500 of our fishermen don’t want to return to the WPS and we are losing billions of pesos in aquatic resources—on fishing and in whatever we should be profiting from,” he said. 

“On those three big points — that were (Duterte’s) advocacies — he could have succeeded, so I said ‘sayang’ (what a waste)],” the three-term senator added. 

In his “naku” (my goodness) comment on China’s flag, Lacson explained there were many reasons to criticize the communist country’s abuses, especially on Filipino fishermen whose livelihoods were drastically cut down owing to its incursions in our country’s territories in the WPS. 

He mentioned the Philippines’ victory in the arbitral ruling and other methods the government could use to resolve the issue, like maintaining a balance of power in the WPS by strengthening alliances with other militarily strong nations that benefit from the freedom of navigation in the critical waterway. 

“Kaya tuwing makikita ko ‘yung simbolo ng Tsina, napapa-‘naku’ ako kasi hindi dapat nangyayari itong nangyayari sa ngayon [That’s why whenever I see that symbol of China, I say ‘naku’ because what’s happening now with them shouldn't be happening],”  Lacson said.