‘GMA is the problem and the solution’

Once again, opposition Sen. Panfilo Lacson lashed out at President Arroyo, branding her as "the biggest problem this benighted land has to tackle."

Lacson found an opportunity to criticize Mrs. Arroyo anew in speaking before members of the Rotary Club of Manila at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel yesterday.

Lacson said the only way the country will be able to solve the problem is for Mrs. Arroyo to step down, claiming she has lost her moral ascendancy and credibility to govern.

"This beloved country, once proud to be known as the Pearl of the Orient, can never reshape under the administration of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo," he said.

Lacson, who lost to the President in the five-way presidential race in May 2004, said Mrs. Arroyo needs renewed credibility to regain the people’s trust in her government and carry out her programs of reform.

Lacson said the government has been left in shambles by the continued presence of Mrs. Arroyo.

"Ours is a country in a heavy mess. Government simply failed to respond. It simply failed to help," he said.

Lacson enumerated the scandals and controversies which had primarily involved Mrs. Arroyo during her four-year presidency.

Lacson landed third in 2004 presidential race, tailing the late actor Fernando Poe Jr. and Mrs. Arroyo.

The former national police chief said Mrs. Arroyo has not fared well in her campaign promises because of "bad governance."

In his speech before Rotary Club members, Lacson spoke as though he were campaigning anew.

"Good governance in the public sector is the gut issue today. Let us do good governance and everything will fall into place. We are today in a bad shape because of bad and poor performance," he said.

Lacson said the basic ingredient for good governance is to take "the courage of a leader to govern and lead by example."

"When people see honesty and integrity in the leader and his family, they cease to be hostile. Where they are not hostile, they cease to be indifferent," he said.

As though running for office, Lacson stressed that "there is no substitute (for a) morally ascendant and politically willed government."

Lacson said the governance of Mrs. Arroyo has been riddled with "Jose Pidals, Garcillanos, and Norberto Gonzales."

During his speaking engagement, Lacson also admitted that the opposition is still far from united.

"Matagal-tagal pa siguro (Not in the immediate future, but) we hope, one day, that the opposition can be one in its decisions," he said after being asked why he did not team up with Poe during the May 2004 elections.

Lacson ran independently from the mainstream opposition which had Poe as its standard-bearer and former senator Loren Legarda as its vice presidential candidate.