Lacson, Sotto reject calls to recuse from Senate probe into alleged poll data breach

ZAMBOANGA CITY — Presidential candidate Senator Panfilo Lacson and vice presidential candidate Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Wednesday rejected calls that they recuse themselves from the Senate investigation into the alleged security breach of election data.

“Bakit daw? So ibig sabihin nila dahil may conflict of interest, dahil may kandidatong kamag-anak o kandidato, ‘di na dapat alamin kung nagkakadayaan o hindi?” Sotto said in a press conference when asked about the calls made by election watchdog Kontra Daya.

(Why? Are they saying that just because there's a conflict of interest because there are candidates or relatives of candidates involved, we should not find out whether there has been cheating or not?)

“Nagtataka ako sa suggestion nila na ‘yan na mag-inhibit. Nakakapagtaka e, akala ko ba kontra-daya sila eh ‘di kung may mga security breach maganda maimbestigahan at malaman. Bakit pipigilan natin ang nag-iimbestiga? Dapat nga concerned ang mga kandidato, concerned ng mga kamag-anak ng mga kandidato baka magkakadayaan. Nakakapagtaka yung suggestion nila na yon,” he added.

(I am wondering at their suggestion to inhibit. It's puzzling. I thought they were against cheating; if there's a security breach it is better to investigate it and find out. Why would we stop the investigation? The candidates must be concerned, as well as their relatives, that there might be cheating. their suggestion is puzzling.)

However, Kontra Daya convenor Professor Danilo Arao did not say that there should be no investigation. Instead, he urged that candidates not take part in the probe—and called on Senator Imee Marcos, sister of candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.,  to step down as the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms, which will investigate the alleged breach of election data—out of "delicadeza" and to avoid conflict of interest.

The senators who are running for higher posts this election are Lacson, Sotto, Manny Pacquiao, and Francis Pangilinan.

Lacson echoed Sotto’s sentiments, asserting Congress’ oversight functions.

“Trabaho namin [‘yon]. Iaabandona natin ang aming mandate under the Constitution na ‘yung oversight function ng Senate, ng Congress? Di mangyayari yon,” Lacson said.

“‘Di ko rin alam kung saan nanggagaling yung idea na dapat mag-inhibit. Ibig sabihin hayaan na lang namin magka-dayaan? Parang walang hugot,” he added.

“They cannot just say that they are just doing their job because they cannot separate their persona as a public official, an elected official and as a candidate running in the 2022 polls,” Arao said in an interview with GMA News Online. — BM, GMA News