LACSON PUSHES FREEWHEELING DEBATES
ON ALL ISSUES WITH ADMIN BETS

AGOO, La Union Re-electionist Sen. Panfilo Lacson is open to a debate with any administration senatorial candidate, but wants it to cover all issues instead of just the economy.

Lacson told a press conference that the debates should be freewheeling and cover graft and corruption, as well as on Malacañang s attempts to muzzle Congress oversight functions.

Why limit ourselves to the economy? Lets debate on all issues such as the fertilizer scam, the telecom scam, Jose Pidal accounts, Macapagal Boulevard, everything. The administration cannot just challenge the opposition to a debate then limit it to the economy). No! We are prepared to debate with them, with their candidates on legislation, on oversight functions, he said.

Lacson said one of the first questions he will hurl at many administration bets will be why they are running for senator under an administration that sought to scrap the Senate.

It doesnt make sense. They are fooling the people, while we want to make the Senate stand as an independent institution as we had been doing since the Garci scandal broke out, he said.

Also, he said he will question why Malacañang withholds the pork barrel funds of pro-impeachment lawmakers while pouring funds to those who will vote against it. He said this was as if they owned the pork barrel allocation of congressmen and senators.

They had no right over those funds because those funds belong to the people. They treat government funds like they were personal funds, he said. That is the kind of government, the kind of governance we should reject in the coming election.

On the other hand, Lacson joined calls for scrapping the oil deregulation law, after noting that the government announced lower electricity rates six months after world prices went down.

He said he doubts if the administration will go for it, since the present deregulation setup gives government a convenient excuse to pass the blame.

They will never support a piece of legislation that will pass the burden, where peoples anger will reach government, he said.