Former Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
The Liberal Party (LP) should not be “exclusive” and should stop treating non-members as “second-class citizens,” former Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson has said.
“Ang advice ko lang sa Liberal Party, ‘wag silang masyadong exclusive…Alam mo, I hear this from other people, ‘yung mga politicians. Kasi parang they treat non-Liberal Party members as second-class citizens,” Lacson in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel’s Beyond Politics Tuesday night.
(My only advice to the Liberal Party is that they should not be too exclusive… You know, I hear this from other people, politicians. Because they treat non-Liberal Party members as second-class citizens.)
“Sana man lang, maging inclusive sila. Para bang, sali kayong lahat. ‘Kung gusto n’yong sumali, sumali kayo.’ Hindi ‘yung, hindi kayo Liberal, at bukod sa hindi na kayo Liberal, maski Liberal na nga at medyo hindi alam nila o doubtful sila kung nasan ‘yung loyalty, parang iniitsapwera pa rin nila eh,” he added.
(I hope it becomes inclusive, as if inviting everyone to join. “If you want to join, you can join.” It should not banish those who are not members or even some of their members whose loyalty they doubt.)
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The former senator raised the issue when asked what President Benigno Aquino III should do in the remaining months of his term.
Lacson said the President should anoint a successor who can continue what his administration has already started.
Asked if he thinks Aquino had already found that person, the former senator said: “I don’t think so.”
He then recalled that when he handed his resignation as presidential assistant on rehabilitation and recovery in January, he suggested to the President that if he was already decided, then he should endorse Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II as the administration’s bet.
But Lacson said the President had no comment.
“So I was thinking baka he was thinking of somebody else. So sabi ko, “Oh, Sir, ganito rin. Kung iniisip mo naman na baka si Grace ‘yung gusto mong i-anoint, ganun din ‘yung suggestion ko. Gawin mo na ngayon,” he said, referring to Senator Grace Poe.
(So I was thinking maybe he was thinking of somebody else. So I said, “Sir, if you’re thinking of anointing Grace, then I also suggest that you do it not)
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“Eh no comment din s’ya. So I would like to think na nag-iisip talaga s’ya. Hindi pa s’ya decided kung sino. But of course, Secretary Mar has all the edge, ano? Dahil kapartido tapos alam mo naman kung papaano tumanaw ng utang na loob si President PNoy,” he further said.
(He did not comment. I would like to think that he’s still thinking about it. He’s not yet decided whom to endorse. But of course, Secretary Mar has all the edge, no? Because he is Aquino’s party-mate and you know how he pays back his debt of gratitude.)
Roxas and Poe have not publicly declared yet whether or not to join the 2016 presidential race, while Lacson said he was open to run for president.
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