Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Monday, October 6 stressed it is the certainty of punishment of corrupt government officials that would help restore the public’s trust in government.

Lacson pointed this out as he dismissed Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano’s idea of a snap election of the President, Vice President and members of the Senate and House to restore trust in government.

“Election, snap or regular, is not the solution. In fact, election campaigns actually add to more corruption - of the electorate by the candidates,” Lacson said.

Lacson also pointed out that an election—whether snap or regular—may even fuel more corruption as candidates may try to buy votes, in many cases using taxpayers' money.

What is important, he said, is the certainty of punishment, especially the swiftness of conviction. Filing charges, prosecuting, convicting and putting to jail those involved in the anomalies would end the corruption in these infrastructure projects would be a stronger deterrent to corruption.

“For a change, how about certainty of punishment of corrupt politicians? The higher the better,” he pointed out.

On Sunday (October 5), Cayetano urged all elected officials at the national level to resign and give way to a snap election to regain public trust.

In a statement posted on his social media pages, the minority leader said the series of corruption scandals hounding the government “eroded the very foundation of our people’s faith in leadership.”

Cayetano made the call amid public outrage over the controversy hounding flood control projects where government officials, private contractors, and lawmakers are allegedly in cahoots in pocketing public funds meant for infrastructure programs.

“If we are really serious about restoring trust, then let’s go all in. Let everyone resign — from the President down to the last congressman — and let’s hold snap elections,” he said.

“But here’s the catch. None of us who are in office now should be allowed to run again,” he added.

However, some sectors said Cayetano should be the first to heed his own call by resigning first “as an example, so others might follow.”