SENATE President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson has warned against what he described as “homegrown traitors” who are willing to sell the country in exchange for personal gain.
Lacson made the verbal tirade in a message on X Saturday as his word war with fellow Sen. Rodante Marcoleta heated up.
“In geopolitics, the most common sources of information are technical intelligence and homegrown traitors who are willing to sell their country in exchange for what’s in it for them,” Lacson said.
Marcoleta had suggested that the country give up the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG), which Lacson said was no different from surrendering Luzon or even the entire country.
During the Commission on Appointments’ hearing on Wednesday, Lacson countered Marcoleta’s suggestion that the Philippines give up Kalayaan by citing a long-standing legal principle supporting the Philippines’ ownership of the chain of islets, which is part of Palawan province.He pointed out that lawyer and adventurer Tomas Cloma discovered the Spratly Islands and occupied them under the principle of “res nullius” — whoever discovers and occupies the land is recognized as its owner.
Cloma eventually turned over ownership of the land to the Philippine government.
There are Filipino families occupying Kalayan, which Lacson visited in 2021.
In another post on X on Sunday, Lacson called out Rep. Paolo Henry Marcoleta, the senator’s son, for his personal attacks against officials and lawmakers who uphold a pro-Philippine stance in the territorial dispute with China in the West Philippine Sea.
The young Marcoleta suggested that a “Coast Guard spokesperson” and some “senators” be at the frontline or be used as cannon fodder if China declares war on the Philippines.
“The son also rises with his own ad hominem. Suggesting to use the PCG spokesman and some senators as cannon fodder if China declares war against the Philippines is uncalled for. He should visit Pag-Asa Island in KIG and see for himself the functioning local government there,” Lacson said.
On Friday, the younger Marcoleta posted on Facebook that if China declares war on the Philippines, Philippine Coast Guard spokesman for the West Philippine Sea Commo. Jay Tarriela and some senators should be made the frontliners or cannon fodder.
Lacson said that after visiting Kalayaan, he pushed for a budget to improve the Philippines’ defense posture as well as additional school facilities and teachers for the island.
He proposed amendments to the 2022 budget to fund facilities in the island group, which amounted to P254.241 million.
In a radio interview on Sunday, Lacson recalled that when he visited Kalayaan, Marines assigned to the island told him Chinese vessels would venture into the Philippine exclusive economic zone (EEZ) but would leave when challenged.
“I told them to keep challenging the Chinese vessels because they are testing them and would likely enter if not challenged. That would be an invasion because there are Filipinos living in Pagasa,” he said.
Lacson had had several tiffs with Marcoleta since he replaced the latter as head of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.
Last month, he said he found it puzzling that some fellow senators wanted to discredit the way he leads the investigation into the flood control fund scandal.
He said Marcoleta and Sen. Imee Marcos seemed to be “intent on disrupting” the hearings.
Marcoleta had questioned Lacson’s objectivity in pursuing the probe, while Marcos claimed that Lacson prohibited senators from dragging some Malacañang allies into the anomaly.