Partido Reporma standard-bearer Senator Panfilo "Ping" M. Lacson on Friday. Jan. 28 debunked insinuations that he lacked “groundwork."
"I risked my life countless times, kicking doors while leading my men to save people I didn’t even know. I fought notorious armed robbers to make people sleep soundly at night. I saved P300 billion of public funds from being misused and abused. Kulang sa ‘ground work’? (I lack groundwork?). I value my work," Lacson said on his Twitter account.
The senator was apparently reacting to Vice President Leni Robredo's criticism that he talks too much without doing the groundwork.
During his stint as law enforcer for 30 years, Lacson fought various criminal gangs, rescuing kidnap-for-ransom victims and neutralizing the kidnappers but declining offers of rewards from the victims' grateful relatives. He also neutralized armed robbery gangs in fulfilling his law enforcement duties.
Also, Lacson refused offers of bribes and hush money from illegal gambling operators and from those transacting business with the Philippine National Police, which he disciplined when he served as its chief from 1999 to 2001 due to a combination of stern discipline and leadership by example.
Meanwhile, in his 18 years as senator, Lacson blew the whistle on corrupt transactions, and called for the abolition of the corruption-prone pork barrel system.
He also made sure his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) allocations were returned to the National Treasury.
With his scrutiny of the yearly budget measure, Lacson prevented at least P300 billion in public funds from being misused and abused.
"I did my work, even if I made enemies in high places. That shows how I value my work," he added.