Ombudsman won't cave in to Iglesia Ni Cristo rally pressure — Lacson

Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson expressed confidence Tuesday that Ombudsman Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla would not cave in to the pressure of Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) amid its ongoing rally in support of Senator Rodante Marcoleta.

"Ombudsman Boying is tough as a Caviteño will always be. I trust that he won’t cave in to the INC rallies and pressure - not today, not tomorrow and certainly not when Senator Marcoleta’s plunder case is filed in court as earlier announced," Lacson said on X (formerly Twitter).

"His INC backers may block EDSA all they want and cause traffic jams and chaos to the discomfort of ordinary commuters. Surely, the PNP will be there to maintain peace and order," he added.

Major roads were stalled after the church organization mounted a surprise rally early Tuesday for Marcoleta, who is one of their members. As of 11 a.m.. some 10,00 rallyists are protesting near the EDSA People Power Monument in Quezon City.

The demonstration was staged a day after Remulla announced that plunder charges would be filed against Marcoleta in connection with the senator's undeclared campaign contributions worth around P75 million.

In a statement, Marcoleta has criticized Remulla for his announcement.

Marcoleta maintained that he did nothing wrong and claimed that the charges are being filed because of his investigation on the flood control projects during his time as Senate blue ribbon chairperson.

"Ang kasalanan ko lamang po ay yung paglingkuran kayo, kung kasalanan pong matatawag yan. Na humarap sa kanila ng buong tapang para sa ganon ay malaman ninyo ang totoo," said Marcoleta in a statement.

(My only sin is to serve you, if that can be called a sin—to face them with all courage so that you may know the truth.)

"Ngunit kapag ako'y kanilang inaresto, hindi na po matutuloy yan. Akala po nila ay maililibing ito sa limot," added Marcoleta.

(But if they arrest me, that won't continue. They thought it would be buried in oblivion.)

‘Gaslighting’

But Lacson denounced Marcoleta's remarks, saying his arrest is related to the looming impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte as "gaslighting."

Marcoleta also said that his possible arrest may be planned due to Lacson's previous statement that nine more senators could be arrested and jailed.

"It’s gaslighting time once more,” said Lacson in a separate statement.

“The mention of nine senators being possibly incarcerated was a hypothetical statement in the context of determining the base number to compute the constitutional requirement of 2/3 vote of all senators actively participating or not in the impeachment trial,” he added. — RSJ, GMA News