Lacson: CEO of casino hotel offering ballroom for Torre-Duterte match

Sen. Panfilo Lacson — Photo from Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Panfilo Lacson jumped on the “charity boxing match” train, urging Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III and Davao City Mayor Baste Duterte to push through with their fistfight.

In a post on X on Thursday, Lacson disclosed that he was informed that a chief executive officer (CEO) of a famous but unidentified casino hotel is willing to provide the venue of the match.

“A credible source told me last night, the CEO of a popular resort casino hotel, a well-known philanthropist, is willing to open their ballroom for the charity boxing match between Nick Torre and Baste Duterte. For the sake [of] the many poor flood victims, let’s do it,” said Lacson, himself a former PNP chief.

It was Duterte who challenged Torre to a fistfight, which was later on accepted by the police chief who led the enforcement of the arrest warrant for the Davao mayor’s father and former President Rodrigo Duterte last March.

READ: Baste Duterte dares PNP chief to a fistfight; Torre accepts the challenge

The Davao City mayor claimed that Torre was only brave because he’s a high-ranking officer of the country’s police force.

“You’re only brave if you have the position. If we had a fistfight, I can take you on,” he said.

READ: Baste Duterte doubts Torre; PNP chief says Dela Rosa also jumped ranks

Torre, meanwhile, responded to the Davao mayor’s remarks, proposing to make the fight a charity event to raise funds for Filipinos affected by inclement weather particularly caused by the southwest monsoon, locally termed as habagat.

“It’s just right. Many of our citizens now are in need of help and affected by the storms and the floods. So, maybe this is a very good time for a charity boxing match. We can do it on Sunday at the Araneta Coliseum,” Torre said.

Asked if it is appropriate for Torre to accept Duterte’s challenge, Lacson said no but maintained that it is still the police chief’s call — not as the chief police officer but as an individual who felt insulted in public.

“Personally, rightly or wrongly, I think we should respect his decision,” said Lacson.

The lawmaker said he intends to buy tickets — with the amount equivalent to his one month pension as a retired four-star police general – for the fight if it will “definitely go to the recent flood victims.”

“Not sure, but if the proceeds will definitely go to the recent flood victims, I will buy tickets equivalent to my one month pension as a retired four-star police general.”