Lacson bares being asked to stop ‘attacking’ fellow bet amid campaign vs ‘theives’

Presidential candidate, Senator Panfilo Lacson (right), and vice-presidential bet, Senate President Vicente Sotto III (left), speak with reporters on the sidelines of their campaign event at the Batangas City Convention Center on Wednesday, February 23, 2022. Photo from Lacson-Sotto media bureau

MANILA, Philippines — “Kung may nasasaktan, hindi ko kasalanan ‘yon [If somebody is hurt, it’s not my fault].”

Presidential candidate and Senator Panfilo Lacson, who has repeatedly campaigned against so-called thieves in government, said this on Wednesday as he bared he was asked to stop “attacking” a fellow candidate.

Speaking with reporters on the sidelines of his campaign activities in Batangas City, Lacson said a supporter of a fellow contender recently called him up to make the request.

But Lacson denied attacking a certain candidate in his speeches, saying he and vice presidential running mate, Senate President Vicente Sotto III, do not resort to “politics of destroying the other candidates.”

“Sabi ko wala akong ina-attack. Ang ina-attack ko magnanakaw, wala akong ina-attack na tao… Habang nasa Baguio kami tinawagan ako, sabi sa akin—taga-Cebu ito e—‘Pre, pakiusap naman ni ano baka raw naman huwag mo namang atakihin.’ Sabi ko, give me a proof na meron akong in-attack na presidential candidate—wala,” Lacson said.

(I said I am not attacking anyone. Who I’m attacking are the thieves, I am not attacking a particular person. While we were in Baguio, someone called me—this person is from Cebu—‘Brother, someone is asking that you stop with the attacks.’ I said, give me proof that I attacked a presidential candidate?)

“‘Pag sinabi kong galit kami sa magnanakaw, galit kami sa magnanakaw, wala kaming sinasabing galit kami kung kanino. Walang tao. Kung may tinamaan, hindi namin kasalanan ni Senate President ‘yon,” he added.

(When I said we despise thieves, we are not naming a certain person. If someone is hurt, it’s not my or the Senate President’s fault.)

Lacson did not name the person who called him nor the candidate that his caller is supporting when pressed by reporters.

The veteran senator also claimed there are circulating videos that were made to look as if he was referring to a certain presidential candidate when talking about thieves during his campaign speeches.

“Ang implication, ini-imply ako ‘yung nag-bla-black propaganda. That’s not true, I deny that,” Lacson said.

(The implication of that is, it is implied that I’m the one resorting to black propaganda. That’s not true, I deny that.)

“Kanya-kanyang gamitan. Kami, wala kaming ginagamit. Pini-present namin ‘yung plataporma (namin), nag-de-describe kami in general terms. Mini-maintain pa rin namin ‘yung aming pinagkasunduan: Politics of platform, programs, plans. Hindi politics of destroying the other candidates,” he added.

(People are using each other. For us, we don’t use other people. We’re just presenting our platforms, we describe our platforms in general terms. We are maintaining what we talked about: politics of platform, programs, plan. Not the politics of destroying the other candidates.)

Last week, Lacson also said he received information that a demolition job is being planned against him allegedly by groups supporting a fellow candidate “apparently hurt ” by his anti-corruption crusade.

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