Partido Reporma chairman and presidential aspirant Senator Panfilo "Ping" M. Lacson on Monday, Jan. 31 appealed to Filipinos to be discerning in casting their votes on the May 9, 2022 elections.

‘’The thieves in the streets pick their victims but thieves in government are picked by their victims,’’ Lacson advised.

"Ang magnanakaw sa kalsada, pumipili ng nanakawan at nanakawin: biktimang walang laban upang agawin ang kanyang gamit - alahas man o salaping pinaghirapan, o anumang mahalagang ari-arian (The thieves in the streets pick their victims and take their valuables). Samantala, ang magnanakaw sa gobyerno, mamamayang Pilipino ang pumipili tuwing sasapit ang halalan. Tayo pa nga ang 'nagsi-shade' ng kanyang pangalan sa balota. At hindi siya namimili ng nanakawin. Wala siyang pakialam kung ang kanyang ninanakaw ay ang ating mga karapatan sa edukasyon, hanapbuhay, kalusugan at maayos at masaganang pamumuhay, at higit sa lahat, ang kinabukasan ng kabataan (The thieves in government are picked by the people who mark their names in the ballots on Election Day. They rob their victims of so much more - their education, livelihood, health and the future of the youth)," he said in his message for National Bible Day 2022.

"For the longest time, we have witnessed how corruption, the worst form of thievery, continues to destroy our nation. And we only have ourselves to blame. I hope and pray that this day - the National Bible Day shall serve as a reminder," he added.

Lacson cited a passage in the Bible from the Book of John, Chapter 10, Verse 10, where Jesus Christ said “the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.”

"These words speak of our greatest challenge as a nation: the deeply entrenched thievery that steals and kills and destroys— a sin contrary to the law of God, so does the act of anyone who joins the thief by keeping a blind eye on his selfish act," he said.

He added that if Filipinos are not careful in choosing their leaders, they might end up worse off in the next six years because of such thieves.

"Just for one day, on Election Day, let us not allow ourselves to be partners of the thieves. Let us stand mightily against the evils of their actions. Let us continue to feed our spirit with the wisdom of God’s words and express our gratitude for the Light of Christ that guides our path against the wicked and towards the good," he said.

Lacson stressed his administration will prioritize a massive internal cleansing of the bureaucracy - to rid the government of thieves who victimize those they swore to serve.

He and his vice presidential candidate, Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III, have promised to fix the lives of Filipinos by fixing the ills in government (Aayusin ang Gobyerno, Aayusin ang Buhay ng Bawat Pilipino), and to go after thieves especially in government (Uubusin ang Magnanakaw).

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