Crime-buster and corruption fighter

 Lacson relies on ‘Mr. Clean’ image

 

           As a crime-fighter and an anti-corruption champion, Panfilo "Ping" Lacson is leveraging his reputation to become the next president of the Philippines.

 

           He highlights some of his most important accomplishments as a former senator and former head of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in his video advertisement (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv_HZnGnsow).

 

           His presidential initiatives will concentrate on preventing public money from being lost through corruption and bringing the government closer to the people. Among his main advocacy goals is to give more power to local governments because they are the closest to the people, understand their needs better, and are better positioned to deal with their problems.

 

           As Lacson highlights in his TV ads, his careful and detailed scrutiny of the national budget has saved the country P300 billion. By refusing to take part in it, he showed that he strongly opposed the pork barrel, which had become a huge perk of legislators' jobs.

 

           In his list of accomplishments, Lacson lists the investigation of the P728 million fertilizer scam, ZTE's strange $329 million contract, and exposing TARA fraud in the Bureau of Customs as examples of his qualification for the highest post in the country.

 

           Also, he exposed the "Hello Garci" tapes, an attempt to cheat during the 2004 elections.

 

           The former military officer and PNP chief exposed a helicopter scam in which the government paid brand-new prices for second-hand helicopters.

 

           Lacson achieved the highest public trust rating ever for a PNP chief with 78+ percent thanks to his initiatives.