Lacson: How can you lead if you don’t have moral ascendancy?

Presidential candidate Panfilo Lacson has emphasized the importance of having leaders with moral ascendancy. 

“Moral ascendancy, moral authority ‘yan ‘yung sa leadership. Kasi ‘pag wala kang moral ascendancy paano ka magli-lead? Walang susunod sa’yo ‘di ba?” the senator said in an interview with rapper Anygma aired Wednesday night.

(Moral ascendancy or moral authority is essential in leadership. How can you lead if you don’t have moral ascendancy? No one will follow you.)

“Kasi ‘yun ang pinaka-tool mo, weapon mo to earn the respect of your subordinates kasi napaka-importante. Kasi if you don’t exercise moral ascendancy over your subordinates, over your people, you will not succeed as a leader,” he explained.

(That would be your best tool and weapon to earn the respect of your subordinates. If you don’t exercise moral ascendancy over your subordinates and over your people, you will not succeed as a leader.)

The veteran lawmaker and former national police chief said this is consistent with his personal commitment to "lead by example," which he learned at the Philippine Military Academy.

“You cannot preach what you can’t practice. Parang second nature namin ‘yan na pinag-aralan sa PMA kasi bugbog kami diyan. Laging nire-remind kasi siyempre magiging leaders of men kami paglabas namin ng field. ‘Yan ang indispensable pagdating sa leadership,” he said.

(You cannot preach what you can’t practice. It's almost second nature, as we were taught in PMA. Because we are trained to lead soldiers in the field, we are constantly reminded of this. When it comes to leadership, this is essential.)

Lacson added at the end of the interview that he wants to lead the country in order to leave a legacy.

“If there’s a selfish reason behind my running… ang masasabi ko, gusto ko mag-iwan ng legacy kasi I think the Filipino deserves better,” he said.

(If there’s a selfish reason behind my running, I could say that I want to leave a legacy because I think the Filipino deserves better.)

Lacson is running alongside Senate President Vicente Sotto III.

Their campaign slogan is “Aayusin ang Gobyerno, Aayusin ang Buhay ng Bawat Pilipino” (Fix the Government, Fix the Lives of Every Filipino) and “Uubusin ang Magnanakaw” (Get Rid of the Thieves). — VBL, GMA News