3 presidential bets get Lacson as guest

CEBU, Philippines - Former Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson admitted he was invited as guest candidate for senator by three leading presidential candidates for 2016 elections.

  Lacson said he was even included in the eight dream team candidates of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

Lacson was in Cebu yesterday as guest speaker in the Visayas-wide Agriculture and Fishery Council Congress. He explained his reason why he did not pursue his presidential bid and instead opted to run for the Senate.

"Running for presidency entails a lot of resources which I don't have, like organizations and machineries. Maraming limitations but still I want to continue to serve. So I opted to run for the Senate," Lacson said in an ambush interview.

"Independent ako. Pero  sinama lang ako ni Mar, Grace Poe at Bise Presidente Binay as guest candidate," he added.

According to Lacson, it would be arrogant of him to refuse the offer from legitimate presidential aspirants to be their guest candidate.

"Kung tatanggihan ko napaka arogante ko naman na ayoko maging guest candidate. Wala akong political party. But I considered it as a huge privilege to be their guest candidate," Lacson added.

Lacson is also thankful for Duterte for including him in his dream team. He said it was, however, unfortunate that the Danao City mayor is not running for president.

    Lacson said he will honor the commitment that he promised to the three leading presidential aspirants.

"I can't join all three. I made it clear kung ano yung commitment ko yun ang gagawin ko. I value my word as much as I value by integrity and honor," Lacson said.

He refused to say whose campaign sorties he will be joining once the campaign period starts in February next year.

"Paka abangan nalang natin during campaign period makita rin natin kaninong platform ako tatayo at kaninong sorties ako sasama," he said.

 Lacson said that his only request to whoever wins as president is to support his proposal to create an independent body against corruption which will serve as virtual law enforcement arm of the Office of the Ombudsman.

 According to Lacson, there is no enforcement arm to support the prosecutorial arm of the government against graft and corruption.

He wished his nemesis, Senator Miriam Santiago, good luck and good health after the latter announced her plan to join the presidential derby.

 Lacson encouraged the agriculture and fishery sector to be more discerning in choosing the country's leaders.

Speaking during the Visayas-wide Agriculture and Fishery Council Congress, Lacson said that the corruption in government has greatly affected the plight of the farmers and fishermen.

He said the contribution of agriculture to the domestic output and exports of the country has consistently declined in the past decades.

Lacson lamented that despite being an agricultural country, the agricultural sector only accounted 12 percent of the Philippines total Gross Domestic Product for the second quarter of 2015.

He said that it is smaller than the 57 percent GDP contribution of the services sector, including real estate, transport and communications sectors. The construction industry also contributed 31 percent to the GDP.

"How come those who are providing most the nation's food are also among the food insecure? The biggest culprit is corruption, which is the biggest stumbling block in alleviating poverty," said Lacson. — (FREEMAN)