Independent presidential candidate Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Sunday night cited the need for the country’s anti-corruption institutions to have strong leadership for them to be able to carry out their mandate.

“Di mahina ang sistema. Marami tayong batas at institution na tumatakbo. Kahinaan po ng tao. Kahinaan ng tao sa gobyerno. Ang aking natutunan sa aking pag-aaral sa PMA (Philippine Military Academy) one of the leadership principles napakaimportante, leadership by example (The system is not weak, we have a lot of laws and institutions working, what is system is the human element in government. And from I have learned at the PMA, one of the most important leadership principle is leadership by example),” he said during the PiliPinas Debates 2022: The Turning Point.

Lacson said these efforts will not succeed if a leader is not able to carry out orders to subordinates.

He added that the government already has enough institutions and measures in place to go after those involved in graft and corruption.

“Meron tayong ARTA (Anti-Red Tape Act), Government Procurement Act, Philippine Competition Act, napakaraming batas. Meron tayong Ombudsman, meron tayong Sandiganbayan. So ang kahinaan di sa sistema, sa taong nagpapatupad ng anti-graft and corrupt practices act. Yan ang ating dapat supilin, palakasin ang sistema ng pamamalakad (We already have ARTA, the Government Procurement Act, Philippine Competition Act, a lot of other laws, we also have the Ombudsman and the Sandiganbayan. So the weakness is not in the system but those implementing the anti-graft and corrupt practices act. We should eradicate that and improve our way of running the system),” Lacson added.

He said corruption cannot be taken lightly and must be acted upon immediately, citing the poor condition of newly built roads in a recent sortie in Zamboanga Del Norte.

He added that if he were the one in charge, he would have the road drilled to determine if substandard materials were used.
He added that he will have the contractor and proponent of the project jailed.

In the same debate, the presidential aspirant said he will push for the passage of an enabling law to finally fulfill the 1987 Constitution’s mandate to end political dynasties.

While Lacson said he has filed bills to end political dynasties by defining the degree of affinity or consanguinity, these were not passed in the Senate.

He added that in crafting such a law, it is important to define what makes a political dynasty.

Lacson said an enabling law is needed to define the degrees of consanguinity so political dynasties can be ended. (PNA)