Presidential Adviser on Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Panfilo M. Lacson answers questions from the media in an interview after he delivered his address at a forum in Makati City last January 23. The former senator had refused to accept his pork barrel funds from the start. He said in a privilege speech that the funds had corrupted legislators. Now, even the members of the media are being named as those who received “payolas.” (MNS photo)
CLARK, Pampanga (Mabuhay) – The Witness Protection Program has a lot of explaining to do in connection with the presence of former Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado in a casino here, senatorial candidate Panfilo Lacson said Monday.
“Yung WPP has a lot of explaining to do. Dapat, kung high security risk at dapat talaga sine-secure, I don’t see any business for him to be in a casino, much less sa malayong lugar,” Lacson told reporters in a chance interview here.
“I think WPP should really explain bakit ganoon ang manner nila ng pagse-secure ng kanilang witness. Sa alam ko sa witness under WPP, sa safehouse na binabayaran ng national government, ng taxes natin,” he added.
Lacson said a whistleblower like Mercado—considered as a key witness in the corruption allegations against Vice President Jejomar Binay—could only get out of the safehouse if he is to attend an activity connected to his duty as a witness.
“Puwede lang siya lalabas kung may connection, may relation sa kanyang pagwi-witness. So talagang dapat mag-explain ang WPP,” he said.
Asked who has violation on the case of Mercado, Lacson said, “First and foremost, WPP.”
“Sila ang responsible, sila ang may mandate to protect a witness. And since he’s under the WPP, he should really be confined in a safehouse. And he can only move around kung kunektado sa pagiging witness niya. Malinaw yan. I won’t mince a word,” he said.
The former senator and Yolanda rehabilitation czar, however, sees nothing wrong with Mercado’s presence in an event of Liberal Party in Makati.
“I don’t think so. When you are a government witness, you should be a government witness,” he said.
But he reiterated that a WPP should protect the witness “in the spirit of protection.”
“So how can you protect a witness na nasa casino? Something doesn’t add up,” he said.
Lacson is in Pampanga for his advocacy on budget. He just came from Angeles City Hall and having lunch with Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan when the reporters spotted him at Royce Hotel and Casino.
Senator Nancy Binay, who was staying in the hotel, also greeted him. She said Lacson is a guest candidate of the United Nationalist Alliance, her father’s political party.
In a separate interview, Senator Binay said Mercado attended the Liberal Party event at Makati Coliseum to “replenish funds.”
“Kaya baka nasa Makati Coliseum ay kailangan na niya magpa-replenish. Kasi natalo nung Sabado. Kailangan niya ng replenishment. Kaya kailangan muna niya magpakitang gilas dun,” she said.
The Binay camp has repeatedly accused Mercado of being part of an LP-backed demolition job against them.(MNS)