Lacson, who is running under the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP), made the statement during the "Dinner with Ping," a fund-raising drive held recently at the Century Seafood Restaurant in Manila.
Speaking before some 1,200 supporters, mainly Chinese-Filipino businessmen, Lacson said he earned the people’s trust the hard way – something that others would never have in their lifetime.
"There are many things in life that we find easy to develop. Unfortunately, trust is not one of them. Trust is something that must be earned the hard way," Lacson said.
During his stint as Philippine National Police chief, Lacson went beyond the traditional lip service-type of leadership by launching a no-nonsense campaign against inept,corrupt and undisciplined policemen, more popularly known as "ICUs."
Under Lacson’s leadership, the PNP’s public acceptability rating also improved dramatically, which is a clear indication that the country’s largest law enforcement agency was fast gaining the people’s trust and confidence under his watch.
"Where there is no trust, we see barriers. Where there is no trust, we see gaps. And when these barriers are not broken and these gaps not bridged, the lack of trust turns into apathy. It is apathy that breeds hostility," Lacson said.
After his resignation from the PNP, Lacson decided to bring his crusade against scalawags and misfits in the government service to the Senate.