Lacson: Snap elections not key to restoring trust in gov't

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo "Ping" Lacson said that a snap election is not the key to restoring public trust in the government -- but the certainty of punishment.

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 added.

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

Lacson 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 [the] certainty of punishment of corrupt politicians? The higher the better," he said.

Similarly, Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III maintained that there is no "Constitutional nor legal framework" for snap elections.

Lacson and Sotto made the remarks after Senator. 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.

This amid a series of anti-corruption protests ensued since the beginning of September due to the revelations that several government officials are allegedly linked to the supposed multibillion-peso flood control project anomalies.