MANILA, Philippines — Senator Panfilo Lacson has slammed as a “dirty hatchet job,” a “malicious” photo circulating in social media which he said is insinuating that he is already posturing for the 2022 elections.
Lacson said Thursday evening that he has instructed his staff to identify those behind the circulation of his photo with the caption “P-angulong I-aayos N-a muli ang G-obyerno.” (the president who will fix the government.)
“It is a dirty hatchet job, to put it mildly – being circulated at a time when some propagandists, with the aid of troll farms, are accusing me of politicking by criticizing the handling of the pandemic,” he said.
“Now comes this photo to make it appear that I’m really politicizing the situation—and nothing can be further from the truth,” he added.
The senator noted that the photo circulated shortly after presidential spokesperson Harry Roque accused those criticizing the government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic of politicking during President Rodrigo Duterte’s televised address to the nation on Monday evening.
“Really? Harry, are you serious? Just because I criticize, pamumulitika na (it is politicking already)?” Lacson replied to Roque in an earlier tweet.
Lacson said his office has already reported the “unauthorized” photo to Facebook.
The senator has repeatedly said he has not decided yet on his political plans for the 2022 national elections.