Lacson vows to sign bank secrecy waiver on Day 1 of presidency

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Panfilo Lacson has promised to sign a bank secrecy waiver on the first day of his presidency — should he win as president in the 2022 national elections — to set an example for the rest of the government.

Lacson during the 47th Philippine Business Conference and Expo hosted by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday explained that the first 100 days of his administration would set the foundation for a clean government.

He also urged other public servants to do the same, and yield their rights to the Bank Secrecy Law as mandated by Republic Act No. 1405.

“My first 100 days in office will also lay the foundation for a clean government. To ensure our people that ‘leadership by example will set the tone of my administration, I will lead the way by signing a waiver of my rights under the Bank Secrecy Law and encourage all the members of the Cabinet, down to the rank and file to do the same,” Lacson said.

“This will happen on my first day in office, not in the first 100 days. This will signal our commitment to restoring the trust of our people in their public officials,” he added.

Lacson’s proposal to make presidential candidates and other officials sign bank secrecy waivers is not new. In July 2019, he filed a bill before the Senate which would remove bank secrecy protection for all government officials and employees, in a bid to end rampant corruption.

The senator reasoned out that the law has been used to delay investigations for corruption against government officials.  Under the bill, members of the uniformed services and government-owned and controlled corporations are also covered by the exemption from the Bank Secrecy Law.

READ: Lacson bill exempts public servants from Bank Secrecy Law

READ: Tougher measures vs ill-gotten wealth key to gov’t fight vs corruption – Lacson

Meanwhile, Lacson also vowed to fully implement the Universal Health Care Act, as a measure against COVID-19, in his first 100 days in office.

He also promised to prepare resources for the acquisition of COVID-19 pills such as molnupiravir and other antiviral drugs that can help patients recover faster.

“Hence, in my first 100 days, I will ensure that we will fully fund our existing gaps that will lead to the full implementation of the Universal Health Care Act, to provide not just free vaccines to all Filipinos but also free testing and treatment backed by data-driven contact tracing that will enable us to stop all ‘lockdowns’,” Lacson said.

“We will do these efforts in partnership with our local executives and the private sector,” he added.

Lacson is seeking the presidency on the platform of local government empowerment.

The Senator and his running mate, Senate President Vicente Sotto III, insist that the country needs veteran lawmakers who have a better understanding of the law to implement them in the executive branch, to ensure that money would also flow into local governments by decentralizing the national government.

READ: Lacson-Sotto tandem bats for LGU empowerment to pick projects

READ: Promise to decentralize nat’l gov’t has a realistic formula, Lacson assures

/MUF