‘Are you honest?’ Duterte asks Lacson

MANILA, Philippines — “Are you honest?”

President Rodrigo Duterte posed this question to Senator Panfilo Lacson after the Chief Executive criticized the Senate blue ribbon committee’s investigation on the state auditor’s flagged “deficiencies” in handling pandemic funds.

“Yung iba may tinatago, lalabas ito lahat. Kung labasan lang naman e ‘di ilabas natin lahat,” Duterte said in a taped address aired on Tuesday.

(Those who have something to hide, this will be exposed. If we want to expose things, then let’s expose them.)

“Tanungin ko si Panfilo Lacson, are you honest? Answer me truthfully, are you honest? Kung magsabi ka ng ‘yes,’ sasagutin kita next program. May ipakita ako,” he added.

(I will ask Panfilo Lacson, are you honest? Answer me truthfully, are you honest? If you answer ‘yes,’ I will answer you back next time. I will show something.)

At the beginning of his public address, Duterte lashed out against the Senate blue-ribbon panel’s probe, which also tackled the controversial procurement of allegedly overpriced pandemic-related goods in 2020.

READ: Miffed at Senate’s 7-hour hearing, Duterte takes pot shots at senators’ looks

The President singled out Lacson and Senator Richard Gordon, who chairs the Senate blue ribbon committee.

Lacson had brushed off Duterte’s rants against him, saying the latter is now in “panic mode” and attempting to discourage the Senate from probing the purchase of “overpriced” pandemic response supplies.

“The Senate will not flinch on this one. There is a lot more to discover and pursue so that all those responsible for this abominable crime against the Filipino people who continue to suffer amid the pandemic will be exposed and charged in court at the proper time,” Lacson went on.