Lacson denies meeting with VP Duterte after polls

Metro Manila, Philippines - Senator-elect Panfilo “Ping” Lacson denied on Tuesday, May 20, that he met with Vice President Sara Duterte after the midterm elections.

Lacson, who ran under the administration’s slate, said rumors about him and another senator-elect meeting with Duterte after the polls is “outright malicious” considering the looming impeachment trial against Duterte.

“As an elected senator who is a potential senator-judge in the impeachment trial involving the Vice President should the said trial cross over to the 20th Congress, it is the height of impropriety to meet with her, being a respondent in the said impeachment case already transmitted to the Senate,” Lacson said in a statement.

“Under normal circumstances, I find nothing wrong if newly elected senators or congressmen paid a courtesy call on the second highest official of the land, which I actually did with then VP (Vice President Leni) Robredo when I won my third term in 2016,” he added.

After the House of Representatives impeached Duterte in February, the Senate is expected to convene as an impeachment court to start the trial in July.

The articles of impeachment are graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, and other high crimes over supposed mismanagement of confidential funds and threats against the First Family.

NewsWatch Plus correspondent Daniza Fernandez contributed to this report.