Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson issued a statement on Wednesday, Oct. 1, addressing the context behind a photo circulating online that shows him with members of the Discaya family, including contractors Curlee and Sara Discaya.
The image was originally posted on Facebook by Cavite 4th District Representative Francisco “Kiko” Barzaga, who urged authorities to “investigate the validity of this image of Senator Lacson’s private meeting with the Discayas.”
In response, Lacson clarified that the photo was taken during the final week of April, just as the 90-day campaign period for the 2025 midterm elections was nearing its end.
According to Lacson, the meeting occurred at his office in Taguig City and was facilitated by Fred Villaroman, a campaign supporter from Davao City.
Villaroman is the son of the late PBGen. Francisco Villaroman, who previously served under Lacson in the Philippine National Police and later led the security detail of then-Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.
Lacson explained that the younger Discaya, a nominee of the party-list group Ako Pinoy (also known as Ako’y Pinoy), had invited him to attend a grand rally in one of the provinces in Davao.
The nominee was later joined by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Discaya, during the visit.
According to Lacson, he declined the invitation for two reasons: out of respect for his friend Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, whose nephew — Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto — was running against Mrs. Discaya, and because other party-list groups were also including his name in their sample ballots.
“I did not know the Discayas and that was the first and only time outside of the Blue Ribbon committee hearings that I met them,” Lacson said, noting that the meeting lasted about 15 to 20 minutes and ended with the group photo.
“I hope this clarifies whatever insinuations are being attached to this said photograph,” he added.
The Discaya couple is embroiled in the multibillion-peso flood control project scandal being investigated by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee headed by Lacson. (Dhel Nazario)
