Lacson on report of another Senate shakeup: 'Fake, intended to confuse'

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo "Ping" Lacson on Sunday refuted an online report claiming another leadership change at the Senate. 

"Peke. Intended to deceive and confuse. Underestimating the intelligence of the new Senate majority bloc, nagba-baka sakaling may tumalon at magpirma," Lacson said

(Fake. Intended to deceive and confuse. Underestimating the intelligence of the new Senate majority bloc, fearing that someone will jump and sign.)

"Malevolent, underhanded, foul and desperate. Kung may song na 'Achy Breaky Hearts,' eto naman - 'Faky Breaky News,'" he added.

(Malevolent, underhanded, foul and desperate. If there's a song titled "Achy Breaky Hearts" this one's "Faky Breaky News.")

Lacson's statement comes after a Facebook page claiming to be a media outlet said that Senator Alan Peter Cayetano allegedly secured enough numbers to become Senate president.  

"The proper and professional way is to call or approach the Senate president, inform and show him the resolution signed by at least 13 senators, then the sitting Senate President resigns at the opening of the session, not through a media outlet, whether nationally recognized or obscure," Lacson said.

Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, meanwhile, aslo slammed the report on X.

"Very devious! wala pang hearing ang Blue Ribbon ni Ping Lacson gusto ng ilan magpalitan agad. What are they so afraid of?," asked Sotto. 

Sotto again became Senate president after replacing Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero.

In a post on his X account, Sotto also questioned those who allegedly want to change the recently seated Senate leadership.

“Very devious! wala pang hearing ang Blue Ribbon ni Ping Lacson gusto ng ilan magpalitan agad. What are they so afraid of?” he tweeted.

Senator Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri made the motion in the plenary to declare the position of the Senate president vacant, which was approved by Escudero. 

Zubiri then nominated Sotto whom he described as a “leader of great integrity” to the position, which was seconded by Senator Loren Legarda. 

Stability in the Senate

In a Super Radyo dzBB interview, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian also said that there is no change in the Senate leadership.

“Wala namang change in leadership. Kapapalit nga lang ng leadership," said Gatchalian.

(There is no change in the leadership. We just had a new Senate president.)

“For now, ang majority gusto ng stability sa Senate kasi. Kung titingnan natin, maraming nangyayari sa ating bansa ngayon at gusto natin stability in the leadership of the Senate,” he added.

(For now, the majority wants stability in the Senate. If we look at it, many things are happening in our country, and we want stability in the Senate leadership.)

Gatchalian pointed out that the issues surrounding the country’s alleged anomalous flood control projects may have led to the Senate shakeup.

This, as Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva were accused by former Bulacan 1st district assistant engineer Brice Ericson Hernandez of being involved in supposedly anomalous deals. 

Both senators have denied the allegations. 

“Para sa akin, ang kailangan ng Senado ngayon stable leadership para maimbistigahan natin ito," he said. 

(For me, the Senate needs a stable leadership to investigate these.)

Cayetano, meanwhile, released a statement on Sunday on behalf of the minority block in relation to the independent commission on ghost flood control projects.

They said that the minority bloc will only support the newly formed independent commission if its members are free from political ambitions and ties to big business.

Cayetano said he supports the idea in principle, he said the minority bloc will first deliberate as a group before deciding to support it.

A 'welcome development'

In a separate statement, Lacson welcomed the creation of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure, which was signed by President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. under Executive Order No. 94.

“The expanded coverage of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to include all infrastructure projects and not just flood control projects is a most welcome development,” Lacson said.

“In like manner, I hope the scope of the sumbongsapangulo.ph website will likewise be expanded by not limiting its coverage to flood control projects only,” he added.

Lacson floated the idea of including the data of infrastructure projects of all agencies across the country in the “Sumbong sa Pangulo” website. 

This includes its funding from the National Expenditure Program to the General Appropriations Act, the identities of the proponents of congressional amendments or insertions, and the project implementation and completion.

“This will maximize transparency every step of the way, not to mention public participation in monitoring where and how our taxes are being spent,” he said. —VAL/BM, GMA Integrated News