Lacson thinks ex-President Duterte ‘invaded’ Senate in drug war probe

FILE PHOTO: Then-Senator Panfilo Lacson. (Voltaire Domingo/ Senate PRIB)

MANILA, Philippines — Former Sen. Panfilo Lacson believes the Senate was “invaded” by former  President Rodrigo Duterte.

Lacson was commenting on Duterte’s conduct during Monday’s Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee probe into his administration’s bloody war on drugs.

“Yesterday the Upper Chamber was ‘invaded’ by the former president of the republic,” the former senator wrote on  X (formerly Twitter) Tuesday, October 29.

“Only one consistently and steadfastly stood up to preserve the dignity of the Philippine Senate. She happens to be a woman who answers ‘present’ during a roll call. Her name: Risa Hontiveros,” he added.

Lacson, nevertheless, maintained his opinion about Duterte — giving him credit for the good things he did when he was president but also calling him out when he was wrong.

The former senator pointed to instances, “… like when he told the PNP (Philippine National Police) that it was okay to receive money from illegal gambling,” in a separate statement.

“Being consistently inconsistent as long as I fight for what is right is one trait I learned early from my parents whose integrity and courage to go against what is wrong, no matter the cost I have never doubted and questioned,” Lacson added.

Hontiveros also earned praise from another former senator, Sonny Trillanes IV.

“The only bright spot in yesterday’s Senate hearing was Sen. Risa’s standing up to the evil Duts. Yan ang leader! Matapang! Matalino! Magaling! (That’s a leader! Brave! Smart! Excellent!)” Trillanes said in a post on X.

READ: Duterte takes ‘full legal, moral responsibility’ for drug war

The subcommittee, chaired by Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III,  has just launched its own probe into the Philippines’ war on drugs, particularly the thousands of deaths of drug suspects under the Duterte administration.

Several times during the hearing, however,  Hontiveros and Duterte engaged in a heated exchange.

One of the hotly debated issues, for instance, was Duterte’s oft-repeated pronouncement that he was taking full responsibility for the drug war policy during his time.

But when Hontiveros asked if he was taking full responsibility for the death of 17-year-old Kian delos Santos in 2017,  the former leader categorically said no.

Duterte quickly pointed out, however, that “guilt is personal.”

“Magtanong ka muna ng abogado (Ask a lawyer first),” he told  Hontiveros.

“Ok lang po kayang-kaya kong magtanong sa abogado (It’s ok,  I can ask a lawyer),”  the senator answered.

READ: Calls mount on EJK accountability

When Duterte insisted that Hontiveros should first ask a lawyer before proceeding, the senator stood her ground, saying she already prepared for the hearing.

“Hindi tayo magkakaindihan dito. Guilt is personal. Hindi pwedeng ipasa ‘yan,” Duterte stressed.

(We won’t understand each other here. Guilt is personal. It cannot be passed on.)

It was Duterte who later requested the subcommittee to first suspend the hearing.

At one point, Hontiveros also called out the former leader for blasting profanity during the hearing.

NOTE: The English translations in the article were AI-generated.