Where’s change?: Lacson hits Duterte admin’s ‘double standard’

Senator Panfilo Lacson. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

It seems that change is not coming, at least for Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson.

Lacson on Friday criticized the Duterte administration for its “double standard” in its brutal war against illegal drugs.

“I thought it was an all-out drug war I was supporting. Talk about double-standard. Talk about double-speak. Change isn’t coming after all,” he said in a Twitter post.

BACKSTORY: Ping Lacson on Duterte presidency: God help us

The senator was apparently dismayed over the admission of President Rodrigo Duterte that he was the one who ordered Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa to reinstate Supt. Marvin Marcos.

READ: It was I who called De la Rosa, Duterte admits

Marcos is the police official allegedly involved in the killing of suspected drug lord and former Albuera town mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr.

On Friday night, Duterte admitted that he ordered his closest aide Christopher “Bong” Go to call dela Rosa not to remove Marcos from his post.

The President said it was he who talked to dela Rosa and not Go as earlier accused by Sen. Leila de Lima.

The chief executive said he ordered not to remove Marcos because he was conducting an investigation during that time.

It later turned out that Marcos indeed has links to illegal drugs, Duterte said.

“Si (Asher) Dolina, malinis. Si Marcos, may tama (Dolina is clean, but Marcos has a record),” he said in a speech in Davao City on Friday.

Dolina, who was police director for Eastern Visayas in 2015, was tagged by alleged drug lord Kerwin Espinosa who had allegedly received drug protection money from the drug trafficker. IDL