Former Senator Panfilo “Ping” Morena Lacson Sr. is seeking a new term in the Senate in this year’s midterm elections. Most of his policies so far have been concerned with law enforcement, cleaning up and strengthening the police and military, but in his 2022 presidential bid, he promised to prioritize gender equity and infrastructure development, among other programs. Could he follow through on these promises as a re-elected lawmaker?
Current occupation: Businessman
Education: Philippine Military Academy (PMA) (1971), Master in Government Management from Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (1996)
Previous occupations: Senator (2001-2013, 2016-2022), Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery (2013-2015), Philippine National Police Chief (1999-2001), MetroCom Intelligence and Security Group (1971-1986)
Affiliated parties: Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas (since 2024), independent (2004-2021, 2022-present), Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (2001-2004)
Political Stances
Governance
Lacson has dedicated a large part of his political career to national security and law enforcement. Outside of his work in the Philippine National Police, he authored laws that provided rank classification for PNP, restored subpoena powers to the police and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), prescribing fixed terms for key officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and increasing base pay for AFP members.
He has criticized former President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, particularly for its rumored cash reward system. “Ang kasamaan kasi nito pag may reward, nagiging overeager ang ating kapulisan at minsan nauuwi sa personalan at kung hindi man, pinipilit maka-score para makakuha ng reward money,” he said October 2024, responding to discussions surrounding the Senate’s drug war probe.
In 2019, he proposed the Designated Survivor Bill, which aimed to keep officials in the presidential succession from harm and prevent power vacuums from forming in the event that the president dies.
He has also advocated against corruption and bureaucracy in the government. He authored the Anti-Red Tape Act and the National ID Law, which sought to provide citizens with national ID cards to make transactions and other government processes easier. The national ID cards are known for being delivered late due to logistical issues.
Lacson has also called for the abolition of “pork” in the government, or public, national funds used by government officials for their local districts. In a privilege speech in 2019, he called the pork barrel system “an evil reincarnate, taunting and tempting us, hiding in the shroud of feigned public service.”
Economy
Lacson advocates for an export-oriented economy. In 2021, he said that the government should “assist our agriculture sector to enhance our food security and productivity, and avoid importation of [agricultural] products that we can grow locally.”
During the 2022 presidential race, he also said that minimum wages should be increased based on inflation rates to give laborers more purchasing power.
Human Rights and Social Justice
Lacson has expressed support for the SOGIE Equality Bill, stating during his presidential campaign in 2022 that under his administration, gender equity policies would be a priority. “Dapat isa lamang at pantay-pantay. Hindi pwedeng may discrimination. ‘Yon ang bottomline,” he said. In running for president, he also said that he would allocate more funds for the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) to help IPs fight against land encroachment and other violations against their rights.
In 2019, he said he would propose an amendment to the divorce bill that would only allow petitioners to file for divorce once. “You err once, make amends; you err twice, you deserve to suffer,” he tweeted.
Like his 2022 running mate Tito Sotto, he advocated for the reinstatement of the death penalty before changing tune. He also authored the Anti-Hazing Law, which banned hazing in fraternities, sororities, organizations like the PNP, AFP, and PMA, among others.
Healthcare
Lacson has backed policies like the Reproductive Health Law and the Bayanihan Act — the latter of which reallocated national funds to programs responding to the COVID-19 crisis in 2020. As a co-author of the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, he also said that, in response to drug-related issues in the country, a comprehensive solution would include rehabilitation.
National Security and Foreign Policy
Lacson is a principal sponsor and co-author of the Anti-Terror Act of 2020, which strengthened law enforcement’s counterinsurgency mandate. The legislation is controversial for allowing the warrantless arrest and detainment of suspects, and for potentially enabling red-tagging.
He said that while the United States has been helpful in the Philippines’ assertion of its rights over the West Philippine Sea through the Mutual Defense Treaty, the Philippines should also strengthen its ties with Japan, Australia, and Europe.
Environment and Disaster Preparedness
In 2022, Lacson said that the mining industry is too big to kill, and that in order to mitigate the effects of mining on the environment, the government should tackle small-scale mining, where he claimed most violations came from. “Bottomline is responsible mining… Ang mining industry, hindi naman pwede patayin kasi major industry ito ng Pilipinas,” he said.
He has also pushed for policies and programs strengthening the National Building Code in response to natural calamities, investing in research and development for disaster preparedness, and reviewing existing disaster management legislation in response to the effects of climate change.
Disinformation
Lacson claims to have been on the receiving end of “black propaganda,” citing TV show host Cito Beltran’s admission to being allegedly approached by a public relations operator to spread fake news about the former senator in 2021. Former Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) Chief Victor Corpus also apologized to Lacson for erroneously linking him to illegal drug activities in 2017.
Despite being the subject of fake news on a few occasions, Lacson said that libel should be decriminalized. “For the media in general, I will support any move and even spearhead a move to decriminalize libel,” he said in 2022. “But ito yung catch, i-decriminalize natin but we’ll put in more teeth doon sa civil liabilities. Because after all, you should be responsible enough with what you are writing or broadcasting.”
Infrastructure Development
Lacson authored the Free Irrigation Service Act, which exempts farmers with landholdings of eight hectares and below from paying irrigation service fees.
During his presidential campaign, he also said that he would push for the Budget Reform Advocacy for Village Empowerment (BRAVE) program, which sought to empower local government units in their own infrastructure and economic development initiatives through funding.
In 2022, he also promised that his administration would prioritize increasing renewable energy infrastructure and tapping more renewable energy sources like solar power and biomass.
Youth and Culture
Lacson authored the National Service Training Program Act, requiring higher education students to undergo Civic Welfare Training Service (CWTS) courses or Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) courses.
Lacson also said that if he wins a senate seat in the 2025 elections, he would push for the establishment of provincial shelters for young victims of sexual abuse and violence. The shelters would be patterned after the refugee center for abused children in Misamis Occidental, which provides its beneficiaries with care, education, and legal support.
He has not shared his views on cultural issues and policies in the Philippines.
Sara Duterte Impeachment
Lacson has expressed neither support for nor opposition to Vice President Sara Duterte in her impeachment case. But in February 2025, he said that it is possible for the Senate to convene as an impeachment court in the 19th Congress and continue Duterte’s trial in the 20th Congress.
Ahead of the midterm elections, Rolling Stone Philippines is taking a closer look at the Top 15 senatorial candidates based on the January 2025 surveys by polling firms Social Weather Stations and Pulse Asia.
