Lacson to run as independent presidential candidate in May 2016 elections

smileredunhappyBAGUIO CITY, April 25 – Former Senator Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson, in a press conference here yesterday announced he is running as an independent presidential candidate in the May 2016 elections.

”My platform of government remains to be what I started as a Senator and that is to eradicate graft and corruption in the government.” Lacson said he initiated the removal of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) stating that he may not have known its general effect but he knows it will solicit graft and corrupt practices.

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Asked about the ongoing peace talks and processes, Lacson said, that as an adviser to President Benigno Simeon Aquino III, he pointed out some of the 10-point conditions of the National Democratic Front (NDF) are unacceptable, citing one condition that states that the New People’s Army (NPA) be the administrator of all forest land in the country including watersheds and reservations.

On the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) Lacson said it is not a perfect bill which the Lower House and the Senate should look into before its approval.

Lacson said that the 1987 Constitution mandates the creation of one Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and one Cordillera Autonomous Region. The ARMM will not be an effective Autonomous Region because of the different tribes, referring to the Tausug, Maranao and Maguindanao. All tribes must be catered to, Lacson said, which is the same in the Cordillera Region. The solution is the creation of sub-regions so that resources from the national government may be divided equally between the tribes.

Lacson agrees to a bilateral talk with China and opined that the present administration should have agreed since this is what the aggressor wants. Lacson said other Asian countries are now benefiting from the assistance from China where these countries shared its resources with the Chinese.

”There is might in strength and strength in numbers which the Philippines does not have but which the ASEAN Integration offers”, Lacson said with the belief that China may reconsider its position about the West Philippine Sea. (PNA)

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