Lacson claims demolition job set by supporters of prexy bet hurt by his ‘thief’ remarks

Presidential candidate and Senator Panfilo Lacson on Thursday claimed that a demolition job is being plotted against him by some supporters of a fellow presidentiable who felt alluded to by his remarks against “thieves” during his campaign rallies.

In a statement, Lacson said he has received an information about a political group “bankrolling the smear job” at the grassroots level.

“While I do not have the slightest intention to zero in on any particular person much less other candidates in my ‘Ubusin ang Magnanakaw’ narrative, I will not be cowed by such reports and threats of black propaganda via the so-called ‘Oplan Wasak’ being plotted by some groups apparently hurt by my anti-corruption campaign,” Lacson said.

“I remain determined to stick to my guns in fighting all forms of corruption in government — the kind of corruption that robs our people of their hopes and future,” he added.

During their weekly “Meet the Press,” Lacson said they are still validating these reports but they opted to announce this to the public so their campaign won’t be affected by these “black propaganda.”

“Actually bina-validate namin kaya lang baka maunahan kami ng black propaganda… Kasi medyo detalyado dahil mayroon daw nasasaktan sa magnanakaw narrative namin ni Senate president,” he said.

(Actually we are validating these reports because we might be affected by black propaganda. The information is detailed because there is a candidate who was hurt by Senate president and I's "thief" narrative.)

“So ibig sabihin may tinatablan, ‘di ko alam kung sino. Mayroong pangalan na lumabas pero I’m not at liberty to mention the candidate kasi sabi ko nga bina-validate pa,” he added.

(That means, someone was hurt. There's one name that is being floated but I'm not at liberty to mention the candidate because we are still validating the report.)

‘Dirty politics’

Lacson also mentioned certain tweets indicating that two presidential aspirants, who are vocal about their stance against corruption, will withdraw from the race.

“They could be referring to Senator [Manny] Pacquiao kasi dalawa lang naman kaming grupo…kami ‘yung masigasig na bumomba against corruption. So doon ko lang nakita ang possible connection baka ‘yun na ang unang salvo,” he said.

(They could be referring to Senator Pacquiao because it's only us who are pounding on the issue of corruption. So that's where I saw the possible connection of the tweet and this reported demolition job. That could be the first salvo.)

For his part, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said these candidates resort to “dirty politics” because Lacson is saying the truth.

“When there are people practicing dirty politics, ang gagawin nila, sisiraan si Senator Lacson kasi nagsasabi siya ng totoo (what they will do is they will destroy the image of Senator Lacson because he was telling the truth),” he said.

“Sisiraan sila para ‘di maniwala ang tao sa sinasabi niya. ‘Yun ang obvious na reason,” he added.

(They will throw mud at him so people won't believe his statements.)

Smear campaign

Lacson said he will remain unbothered by reports of smear campaign against him as he is used to harassment tactics in the past.

He cited anew the “orchestrated character assassination campaign” against him peddled by Antonio Luis Marquez also known as Angelo "Ador" Mawanay and Mary Ong also known as Rosebud, which was entertained by then-Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Brigadier General Victor Corpus.

Lacson said Corpus has since admitted that he was taken for a ride and subsequently apologized to him.

This was even mentioned in former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s recently-published memoir "Deus Ex Machina,” he added.

“For most of my career in public service, I was either eating death threats or smear campaigns for breakfast, lunch and dinner. This is not new to me. But it's high time that the people wake up to the reality that unbridled corruption destroys our nation and the future of our children,” Lacson said.

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). — RSJ, GMA News