Eradicating corruption is crucial for the Philippines to rise as an economic power like Japan, and to strengthen its military and defense capabilities including in the West Philippine Sea, Senate President Pro Tempore Ping Lacson said.
Lacson cited Japan’s recent move to seize a Chinese fishing vessel and arrest its skipper off southern Japan – months after Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae hinted Japan may intervene militarily should China try to forcibly take Taiwan.
“Wow Japan! If only the Philippines can eradicate corruption, so we may become an economic power, then we can upgrade our military capability – ergo, we are no longer a pushover country,” the veteran legislator said on X.
Japan has had longstanding boundary disputes with China over the Senkaku Islands, similar to the Philippines’ territorial conflict with China in the West Philippine Sea.
In the Philippines, the seasoned lawmaker – a vocal critic of wrongdoing – has repeatedly exposed corruption, including questionable insertions in the national budget.
Yet, the senator lamented that his anti-corruption efforts cost him friendships and earned him adversaries.
“The probe must be firmly grounded in facts and evidence.”
Lacson cited his chairmanship of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s investigation of irregularities in flood control projects, where he stressed the probe must be firmly grounded in facts and evidence.
“When I took the chairmanship of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, I knew I could lose some friends and create new enemies.”
He said he faced similar consequences in 2003 when he delivered his “Living Without Pork” privilege speech seeking the abolition of the pork barrel system.
“Déjà vu. When I took the chairmanship of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, I knew I could lose some friends and create new enemies,” Lacson said.
“I had exactly the same feeling when I delivered my ‘Living Without Pork’ privilege speech in March 2003,” he concluded.
