Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson warned against what he described as “homegrown traitors,” referring to Filipinos who are allegedly willing to sell the country in exchange for personal gain.
“In geopolitics, the most common sources of information are technical intelligence and homegrown traitors who are willing to sell their country in exchange for what’s in it for them. In intelligence operations, it is called, “recruitment in place,” Lacson said in a social media post on Saturday, Feb. 7.
Lacson issued the warning amid controversy surrounding remarks linked to the West Philippine Sea (WPS) dispute, particularly suggestions to “give up“ the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG), which is part of Palawan province.
The senator’s statement followed criticism of Senator Rodante Marcoleta over a proposal to surrender the KIG, a move Lacson firmly rejected, citing legal principles that affirm Philippine ownership of the territory.
“Giving up” the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) is no different from giving up Luzon Island or the entire country. Under international law, first discovery and possession of land that belongs to no one under the legal principle of ‘res nullius’ or ‘terra nullius’ is a recognized mode of sovereign ownership. Even non lawyers were taught this in school,” Lacson earlier said, dismissing the idea of relinquishing the territory.
On Sunday, Lacson also criticized comments made by son of Sen. Marcoleta and SAGIP Party-list Rep. Paolo Henry Marcoleta, who suggested that a Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson and what he called “arrogant” senators be placed on the frontlines if China were to declare war against the Philippines.
“Kung sakaling giverahin tayo ng Tsina, ihelera ninyo sa harap ng bakbakan ang spox ng Coast Guard at iyong mayayabang na senador. Sila ang unang lumusob. O kaya ibala ninyo sa kanyon. Tingnan natin ang tapang nila,” Rep. Marcoleta said in a February 6 post.
Lacson condemned the remarks, calling them an “ad hominem” attack against officials and lawmakers who are standing firm on the Philippines’ territorial claims in the WPS.
“The son also rises with his own ad hominem. Suggesting to use the PCG spokesman and some senators as cannon fodder if China declares war against the Philippines is uncalled for,” Lacson said in a post on X.
Lacson added: “He should visit Pag-Asa Island in KIG and see for himself the functioning local government there.”
In response, Paolo Marcoleta defended his remarks, saying they were taken out of context and should be understood as figurative.
“With all due respect to the good Senator, he was the one who started with metaphorical jabs like ‘the crazy cat that keeps meowing on the ground floor and the annoying dog that keeps barking on the upper floor.’ I am just following this creative trend,” Marcoleta said.
He added that his reference to “cannon fodder” was not meant literally but was an indirect challenge to the battle-readiness of officials who have been vocal against China.
“The ‘cannon fodder’ thing as he calls it, which should also be taken figuratively in context, is an indirect challenge on the battle-readiness of the PCG spox and some Senators to be at the frontlines in a worst case scenario that China declares war on the Philippines amid these tensions,” he added.
Meanwhile, Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS) Commodore Jay Tarriela invited both Sen. Marcoleta and his son to visit the KIG and join a maritime domain awareness flight over the KIG to better understand the situation on the ground.
