LACSON: CERTAINTY OF PUNISHMENT OF CORRUPT POLITICIANS NOT SNAP ELECTION KEY TO RESTORING PUBLIC TRUST IN GOVERNMENT

A SNAP election is not the key to restoring public trust in the government – but the certainty of punishment is, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Monday.

Lacson pointed out that an election, whether snap or regular, may even fuel more corruption as candidates may try to buy votes, in many cases using taxpayers’ money.

“Election, snap or regular, is not the solution. In fact, election campaigns actually add to more corruption – of the electorate by the candidates,” he said.

Lacson issued the reaction after Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano floated the idea of a snap election of the President, Vice President, and members of the Senate and the House to restore trust in government.

Lacson said the certainty of punishment, especially the swiftness of conviction, would be a stronger deterrent to corruption.

He has repeatedly pushed for the certainty of punishment, meaning the charging, prosecution, conviction and imprisonment of those involved in wrongdoing, to end the corruption behind anomalous projects.

“For a change, how about certainty of punishment of corrupt politicians? The higher the better,” he said.