Lacson Leads Hearing to Strengthen Coast Guard to Protect WPS

 Lacson Leads Hearing to Strengthen Coast Guard to Protect WPS

December 8, 2021 - To empower it to protect the Philippines' waters from intrusion and harassment including in the West Philippine Sea - as well as fulfill its other duties as the Philippines' primary maritime agency, the Philippine Coast Guard needs to be strengthened and its gaps addressed.

Sen. Panfilo "Ping" M. Lacson stressed this on Tuesday as he presided over a Senate subcommittee hearing to address the issues in the agency's operational, administrative and organizational concerns.

"While we all point to the Philippine Coast Guard as the primary maritime agency of the government to strengthen our country’s sensitive frontiers in the West Philippine Sea, we can no longer keep the predicaments of the agency at bay," Lacson said.

He added there is a need to discuss the apparent distortion in salaries, allowances, benefits and retirement of the PCG personnel brought about by its separation from the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the subsequent enactment of RA 9993, the Philippine Coast Guard Law of 2009, as well as the system of ranks and pay rate relevant to the Coast Guard.

One issue that needs to be addressed soonest involves the unity of command especially in times of war, when the Coast Guard will be attached to the Department of National Defense under the proposed measure, Lacson noted.

He said the Coast Guard commandant has a four-star rank which is equivalent to the rank of the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

"Who will take primary responsibility over whom? The reality on the ground is that the Navy has a more upgraded military capability compared to the Coast Guard," Lacson noted.

He said some options include defrocking the Coast Guard commandant while the country is at war; and to maintain the Coast Guard as the second line of defense with the Navy being the first line of defense. "And let the secretaries of the Department of Transportation and Department of National Defense deal with each other for lateral coordination."

Another issue is the need for the Coast Guard to conduct regular patrols around Pag-asa Island which Lacson visited last Nov. 20 and saw for himself the extent of harassment from Chinese vessels.

The Coast Guard currently does not have the capability to conduct regular patrols, with its nearest available vessel in El Nido, Palawan - and will need hours to reach Pag-asa, the only Filipino-inhabited island in the Kalayaan Group of Islands. It does not expect to regularly patrol the West Philippine Sea until 2022, when it gets new vessels from Japan.

"What if the Chinese Coast Guard vessels attempt to take over Pag-asa, how prepared are we to defend Pag-asa? Pag-asa is the only inhabited island. The others are shoals, classified as not really islands. Pagasa is a barangay under Kalayaan municipality," Lacson noted.

"In the dire possibility the Chinese vessels attempt to attack Pag-asa how would the PCG respond to such a situation? How capable are we to at least put up a decent defense of Pag-asa island?" he added.

Other issues involve the differences in pensions of retired Coast Guard and Navy personnel, as well as the budget needed to enhance the Coast Guard's capabilities.

Such issues, Lacson noted, "come in the foreground of the growing tension in the disputed territories in the West Philippine Sea amid the continuing Chinese intrusions and harassments on our fishermen, and very recently the water-cannoning incident against two Philippine Navy-commissioned supply vessels in the Ayungin Shoal occupied by our gallant personnel on board the BRP Sierra Madre, perpetrated by the Chinese Coast Guard."

Tuesday's hearing of the Sub-Committee of the Senate Committee on Public Services on Senate Bill No. 2322 or “An Act Providing for the Administrative Reform and Reorganization of the Philippine Coast Guard, Revising for the Purpose Republic Act No. 9993, otherwise known as the Philippine Coast Guard Law of 2009,” took up Senate Bill 2265 for the institutionalization of the PCG Auxiliary, authored by Sen. Richard Gordon; and Senate Bill No. 1112, which aims to establish the PCG Academy, authored by Sen. Imee Marcos.

The Philippine Coast Guard traces its roots from the Bureau of Coast Guard and Transportation created in 1901 during the American Occupation. It was created virtue of Commonwealth Act No. 1, on Dec. 21, 1935.

In 1967, by virtue of RA 5173, the PCG was created as a major unit under the Philippine Navy of the Armed Forces of the Philippines until March 30, 1998, when then President Fidel Ramos transferred the PCG to the Office of the President, and then to the then Department of Transportation and Communications (now the Department of Transportation).

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Anti-kotong drive ni Ping tumatak kay Tulfo

 Anti-kotong drive ni Ping tumatak kay Tulfo

Maging si brodkaster Raffy Tulfo ay bilib sa istilo ng pamumuno ni Partido Reporma at standard-bearer Panfilo “Ping” Lacson na napatunayan niyang tunay na nakapagtanggal ng kotong sa kapulisan.

“Noong maging PNP chief po si Senator Lacson, sobra pong paghanga ko sa kanya—hanggang ngayon, of course, hangang-hanga ako sa kanya,” pahayag ni Tulfo sa mga tsuper at lider ng transport group at mga lokal na opisyal sa Tanza, Cavite.

“At that time nag-uumpisa pa lamang po ang aking career sa public service bilang broadcaster. Hindi ko makakalimutan ‘to. Nagbigay po siya ng ultimatum, 48 hours ata ‘yun, na lahat ng mga carnap vehicles na ginagamit ng mga pulis kailangan maisoli na, no questions asked,” sabi ni Tulfo.

Ayon pa sa broadkaster na kilalang matapang na pumupuna sa mga tiwaling kawani ng gobyerno, madalas siyang nakakatanggap ng reklamo mula sa mga may-ari ng sasakyan na na na-carnap at nabubuking na ginagamit pala ng ilang miyembro ng Traffic Management Group o Highway Patrol Group.

“Akalain niyo pulis pa mismo ang nagmamaneho ng carnapped vehicle na na-recover. So, in short, matapos makapagbigay si General Lacson ng taning sa mga pulis para isoli ‘yung mga ginagamit nilang mga carnap vehicle, ‘yung Camp Crame po napuno ng mga sasakyan—motor, kotse, truck—lahat na,” lahad ni Tulfo na tumaktabong senador at guest candidate ng Partido Reporma.

“Doon ko po nakita si Senator Lacson na mataas ang pagrespeto sa kanya ng kapulisan, and true enough, he walked the talk dahil nasundan pa po ‘yun noong magdeklara siya sa kanyang mga pulis ‘yung tinatawag na ‘no take policy,’ at ang nakinabang po doon sa ‘no take policy’ ni Senator Ping Lacson at no-kotong ay kayo pong nasa transport group,” aniya.

Dahil dito, hindi umano nagdalawang-isip si Tulfo na mapabilang sa hanay ng mga senatorial candidate ni Lacson at running mate niya na si Senate President “Tito” Sotto III.

“Napakapalad ko po and I’m also very humbled na mapabilang bilang guest candidate po ng Partido Reporma nina Senator Ping Lacson at ni Tito Sen,” sabi pa ni Tulfo.

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Sen Ping Lacson tinaya buhay laban sa korapsyon

 Sen Ping Lacson tinaya buhay laban sa korapsyon

Minsan nang tinaya ni Senador Panfilo Lacson ang kanyang buhay para lamang panindigan na hindi siya magpapasuhol sa sinuman kapalit ang pagpapahintulot sa iligal na aktibidad.

Sinabi ng presidential bet ng Partido Reporma na noong nagsilbi siyang provincial director ng Philippine National Police (PNP) sa Laguna noong 1992, may nag-aalok ng buwanang P1.2 milyon hanggang P1.8 milyong suhol kapalit ng pagpapahintulot ng illegal gambling sa lalawigan.

Tinanggihan niya ang inaalok na payola at hinamon pa ang kanyang mga tauhan sa provincial command na itali siya sa flagpole saka barilin kaysa tumanggap ng suhol.

“Nariyan ang flagpole. Itali nyo ako riyan at barilin nyo ako,” pagbabalik tanaw ni Lacson.

Noong manilbihang PNP chief si Lacson noong 1999 hanggang 2001, winalis niya ang mga “kotong” cops at mahigpit na pinatupad ang “no-take” policy sa PNP.

Inatasan rin niya ang mga miyembro ng kanyang directorial staff na huwag tatanggap ng pera mula sa mga contractor sa pagbili ng mga supply ng PNP.

Ayon kay Lacson, para maging lider ng higit 100 milyong Filipino, kailangang pumasa sa hamon ang isang presidential bet na hindi sila masisilaw sa pera at kapangyarihan kapag nasa harap na nila ito.

“The ultimate test of a person’s character: give him power and offer him money. If he passes this test, he is the ‘leader we need,'” ayon sa pinost ng senador sa kanyang Twitter account.

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Lacson: Poll-rigging scams not new; here’s how to beat them

 Lacson: Poll-rigging scams not new; here’s how to beat them

Scams by con artists claiming to rig the elections for a fee are not new – but the Commission on Elections may not be helpless against it, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said Tuesday.

Lacson, who is running for President under Partido Reporma, said this after the Comelec warned candidates against falling for such scams.

But he noted that some shady developments in past automated elections may have created the impression of poll result manipulation.

“It is true that there are con artists claiming they can manipulate the election system for a fee. Past automated elections have created this impression,” he said in a statement.

He cited the so-called “Meet-me Room” that was put in place during the past two or three national elections “cast doubt on the integrity of the automated elections.”

The “Meet-me Room” had been tagged by some sectors as a venue where poll results could be tinkered with.

Lacson said such a scam can be neutralized by both candidates and the Comelec.

“While it goes without saying that candidates should not fall for this scam, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) should face the challenge through utmost transparency,” he said.

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Strengthening the Philippine Coast Guard Opening Statement at the Hearing of the Sub-Committee of the Senate Committee on Public Services

Strengthening the Philippine Coast Guard Opening Statement at the Hearing of the Sub-Committee of the Senate Committee on Public Services

December 7, 2021 - Good morning and welcome to the public hearing of the Sub-Committee of the Senate Committee on Public Services on Senate Bill No. 2322 or “An Act Providing for the Administrative Reform and Reorganization of the Philippine Coast Guard, Revising for the Purpose Republic Act No. 9993, otherwise known as the “Philippine Coast Guard Law of 2009,” authored by Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III.

We also take into consideration Senate Bill No. 2265 for the institutionalization of the PCG Auxiliary, authored by Sen. Richard Gordon; and Senate Bill No. 1112, which aims to establish the PCG Academy, authored by Sen. Imee Marcos.

The PCG traces its roots from the Bureau of Coast Guard and Transportation created in 1901 during the American Occupation. Mas matanda pa ito sa DND and the AFP, kasi created ito by virtue of Commonwealth Act No. 1, last Dec. 21, 1935.

In 1967 by virtue of RA 5173, the PCG was created as a major unit under the PH Navy of the AFP until March 30, 1998, when then President Fidel V Ramos in the exercise of his continuing authority under the Administrative Code to reorganize the OP, issued EO 475, transferring the PCG from the DND to the OP, and then 15 days thereafter, to the then DOTC (now known as DoTr), by virtue of EO 477.

Finally, Congress enacted RA 9993 or the PCG Law, which was signed into law on Feb. 12, 2010.

This public hearing is being conducted jointly with the Committee on Civil Service Govt Reorganization and Professional Regulation as well as the Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation, Committee on Ways and Means, and the Committee on Finance.

This Representation has personally asked the Chairman of Committee in Public Services, Senator Grace Poe, to hear the aforementioned pending Senate bills because of the pressing gaps in the operational, administrative, and even organizational exigencies of the PCG.

These gaps come in the foreground of the growing tension in the disputed territories in the West Philippine Sea amid the continuing Chinese intrusions and harassments on our fishermen, and very recently the water-cannoning incident against 2 PN commissioned supply vessels in the Ayungin Shoal, occupied by our gallant personnel on board the BRP Sierra Madre, perpetrated by the Chinese Coast Guard.

While we all point to PCG as the primary maritime agency of the government to strengthen our country’s sensitive frontiers in the West Philippine Sea, we can no longer keep the predicaments of the agency at bay.

There is also a need to discuss in this public hearing the apparent distortion in salaries, allowances, benefits and retirement of the PCG personnel brought about by its separation from the AFP and the subsequent enactment of RA 9993 as well as the system of ranks and pay rate relevant to the PCG.

So to this end, let us begin.

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[DAY 2] The 10th Arangkada Philippines Forum | Pathways to a Better Future

[DAY 2] The 10th Arangkada Philippines Forum | Pathways to a Better Future

(Please Watch and Share)

👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇

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Lacson: PH faces triple whammy from China

 Lacson: PH faces triple whammy from China

The Philippine faces threats on three fronts—national security, food security and economic security—with China’s continued encroachment into the country’s territorial waters in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said on Monday.

Lacson, chair of the Senate committee on national defense and security, also called on the government to take “more proactive efforts” to urge the international community to exert pressure on China to comply with the arbitral ruling favoring the Philippines.

“More often than not, we only think of national security when we hear of China’s encroachment into our territorial waters. It’s actually much more than that … It has a great effect not only on our national security because that much is obvious—but our food security and our economic security are greatly affected,” Lacson said.

Lacson raised the issue during Monday’s hearing of the Senate committee on foreign relations, which tackled two bills that seek to establish the country’s maritime zones.

The committee also discussed Lacson’s proposed Senate Resolution No. 954, which sought to condemn China’s intrusion into the Philippines’ territory and exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea.

According to Lacson, fish production in the Philippines amounted to 4.36 million tons valued at P265 billion in 2018, while 1.9 million people depended on fishing for their livelihood.

The WPS region, Lacson said, supplied 27 percent of the country’s total fisheries production, with Scarborough Shoal producing around 15 to 20 metric tons of fish per year.

The Kalayaan Island Group, on the other hand, produces 62,000 to 91,000 metric tons of fish per square kilometers, feeding up to 2.3 million Filipinos per year, according to the senator.

Lacson said China’s incursions had also kept Filipinos from fully harnessing the energy resources in the WPS which, he said, was a potential source of natural gas and other resources.

The production of Malampaya natural gas field amounts to 1.94 million standard cubic feet of gas and 75.04 million barrels of associate condensate, providing some 25.8 percent of the power generated in Luzon from 2002 to 2017, the senator said.

Rich offshore hydrocarbon sources in the region have yet to be tapped, he said.

Lacson cited a 2013 US geological survey showing some 2.5 billion barrels of oil and 25.5 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in the Spratlys.

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Lacson-Sotto “Online Kumustahan” iikot sa Visayas

 Lacson-Sotto “Online Kumustahan” iikot sa Visayas

Palalakasin nina Partido Reporma chairman at standard-bearer Panfilo “Ping” Lacson at running mate niya na si Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III ang mga “Online Kumustahan” sa Visayas na layuning konsultahin ang mga komunidad at lokal na lider sa kanilang mga pangunahing pangangailangan at prayoridad.

Kasabay nito, inaaasahang pasisinayaan nina Lacson at Sotto ang headquarters ng Partido Reporma sa Cebu City sa Biyernes (Disyembre 10) at sa Dumaguete, Negros Oriental sa Sabado (Disyembre 11).

Kukumpleto sa Visayas tour ng dalawang batikang public servant ang pakikipagpulong nila sa iba’t ibang sektor sa Northern Samar sa Linggo (Disyembre 12).

Ang lahat ng mga event na ito ay mapapanood nang live sa Zoom at official social media account ni Lacson.

Nakikita na ang malakas na suporta sa dalawang batikang mambabatas, lalo kay Sotto na nagmula sa Cebu. Ang kanyang lolo na si Vicente Sotto ay naging kongresista sa probinsya bago maupo sa Senado noong 1950s.

Makakasama rin sa “Online Kumustahan” ang mga senatorial candidate ng tambalang Lacson-Sotto, kabilang si dating police chief Guillermo Eleazar, health advocate Dr. Minguita Padilla, dating congressman Monsour Del Rosario at ang mga guest senatorial bet na si dating Cabinet member Manny Piñol at brodkaster na si Raffy Tulfo.

Limitadong bilang lamang ang maaaring dumalo sa mga venue ng pagtitipon bilang mahigpit na pagsunod sa mga health protocol ng pamahalaan para makaiwas sa COVID-19.

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On Reported Poll-Rigging Scams

 On Reported Poll-Rigging Scams

December 7, 2021 - It is true that there are con artists claiming they can manipulate the election system for a fee. Past automated elections have created this impression.

Sad to say, the so-called "Meet-me Room" that was put in place during the past two or three national elections - which some sectors fear could be a venue where poll results could be tinkered with - cast doubt on the integrity of the automated elections.

While it goes without saying that candidates should not fall for this scam, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) should face the challenge through utmost transparency.

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Mag-ingat sa kumakalat na Ping ayuda scam

Mag-ingat sa kumakalat na Ping ayuda scam

Para sa Seguridad ng nagmamay-ari ng Cellphone na ito, tinatago namin ang kanyang tunay na pangalan at ito ay kanyang na ipadala o ni-reply sa SCAMMER!

Pinag-iingat ang publiko sa kumakalat na text message na ginagamit ang pangalan ni Partido Reporma chairman at standard-bearer Panfilo “Ping” Lacson na nag-aalok diumano ng ayuda kapalit ng kanilang personal na impormasyon.

“This is from Ping Lacson Family. Can you please claim your Ayuda’s from our Fam.,” saad sa text message ng “smishing” scammer na kumakalat sa social media.

Para makuha umano ang ayuda, kailangang ipadala ang kumpletong pangalan at tirahan ng nakatanggap ng text. Pero ayon sa biktima ng scam, matapos niyang ibigay ang kanyang personal na impormasyon ay hindi na siya nakatanggap ng tugon mula sa nagpadala ng mensahe.

Hinihikayat ng Partido Reporma ang publiko na huwag tumugon sa kahina-hinalang mensahe na ito sa text man o sa mga messaging app dahil kailanman ay hindi ito pinahintulutan ni Lacson.

Una nang nanawagan ang batikang mambabatas at dating hepe ng kapulisan sa National Privacy Commission upang imbestigahan ang online vote-buying, gayundin ang fake news kaugnay sa May 9, 2022 elections. Aniya, hindi lang ito banta sa halalan ngunit maging sa ating demokrasya.

Ang smishing o SMS phishing ay panloloko na isinasagawa sa pamamagitan ng pagpapadala ng text na mula umano sa isang kompanya o sikat na personalidad para makakuha ng personal na impormasyon tulad ng password, credit card number o tirahan.

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Beware of ‘smishing’ scammers using Lacson’s name, ‘ayuda’ as bait—Partido Reporma

Beware of ‘smishing’ scammers using Lacson’s name, ‘ayuda’ as bait—Partido Reporma

Partido Reporma chairman and standard-bearer Panfilo “Ping” Lacson has not been spared from the rash of “smishing” scammers or those using text messaging to extract personal information for nefarious ends.

In a statement, Partido Reporma urged the public not to respond to such dubious messages, whether through SMS (short messaging service) or messaging apps, as Lacson – a former national police chief – would never authorize or condone such practice.

The longtime public servant has also called on the National Privacy Commission to look more closely into attempts at digital vote-buying in the run-up to the May 9, 2022 elections, calling it a threat not just to the electoral system but to democracy itself.

In a picture uploaded on social media over the weekend, a victim of the scam showed a screenshot of a message from a person who introduced himself as a member of Lacson’s family.

The message sender said he was sending “ayuda” (cash aid) and the person targeted only needed to send his personal information to receive the supposed funding.

“This is from Ping Lacson Family. Can you please claim your Ayuda’s from our Fam?,” the scammer’s text message read.

“Note: If you are interested to get that pls. reply your real name and followed by your complete address. Thank You,” the message added.

Based on the screen shot, after the victim sent his personal information, the scammer no longer replied.

Smishing or SMS phishing is the fraudulent practice of sending text messages, purporting to be from reputable companies or persons, to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords or credit card numbers, or in this case home addresses.

In the Philippines, authorities have listed phishing as the top cybercrime for years now. Smishing attacks are delivered by both traditional text messaging and non-SMS messaging apps. These attacks spread fast and are often unnoticeable due to their deceptive nature.

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