Senate output, not operating costs, is the real issue – Lacson

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Friday doubled down on his criticism of former Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano’s 28-day stint as Senate chief, arguing that the issue was not the Senate’s operating expenses but the chamber’s lack of legislative output during the period.

In another post on X this Friday, Lacson wrote: “QUICKSAND MENTALITY: Defending the indefensible and justifying the unjustifiable. Ex. comparing two different expenses without showing the receipts.”

READ: P700M for chaos: Lacson on Cayetano’s 28 days as Senate president

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The remark came after Cayetano described as “intellectually dishonest” Lacson’s earlier claim that taxpayers had effectively spent around P700 million during the former Senate chief’s brief stint in office.

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During a Facebook Live on Thursday evening, Cayetano argued that the amount simply reflected the Senate’s estimated daily operating expenses of P25 million multiplied by the 28 days he served as Senate president.

He said the same expenses would have been incurred regardless of who led the chamber.

READ: Alan Cayetano back as Senate minority leader

But Lacson said Cayetano had missed the point, stressing that the real issue was the Senate’s lack of productivity.

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““That’s true — whoever was Senate President, the expenses would have been the same. But the issue is output: working in the plenary, not boycotting sessions; passing laws, not livestreaming on Facebook. And if you do not want to help, then at least do not cause disruption. That is why the money was wasted, because there was zero output,” Lacson said.

For his part, Cayetano said during his Facebook Live that legislative output slowed because Senate President Win Gatchalian’s bloc refused to fill committee posts and participate in Senate work./dp

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