PHILIPPINE NEWS SERVICE — MALACAÑANG need not be dragged into the fight between Senators Panfilo Lacson and the Estradas.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita made this appeal even as he debunked the claim of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada that Lacson had shown his true color as an administration man for his tirades against former president Joseph Estrada.
“Siguro alam naman n’yo si Senator Lacson is a straight-talking person, straight–talking politician, he says what he thinks he must say….kung yan ang iniisip nya kailangan niya sabihin at gawin e just leave it to him but wag na nating idawit ang Palasyo sa pagpapalitan nila ng charges ni former president Estrada and Senator Lacson,” Ermita said.
The younger Estrada, in taking the cudgels up for his father a day after Lacson delivered a stinging privilege speech against the former president, charged that Lacson is an “administration man masquerading as part of the opposition.”
Administration lawmakers also called on both Senators Estrada and Lacson to leave the President out of their quarrel.
Camiguin Rep. Pedro Romualdo said Estrada and Lacson can throw mud at each other for as long as they want but they should not drag into their mess President Macapagal-Arroyo who has better things to do than join in the mudslinging.
“The quarrel is between Sen. Lacson and the Estradas so they should resolve their conflict among themselves,” he said.
Romualdo said while Senator Estrada is expected to defend his father, former President Joseph Estrada, he should do this not at the expense of Mrs. Arroyo.
The solon debunked and rejected the senator’s insinuation that Mrs. Arroyo had something to do with Lacson’s exposés.
“I cannot see the logic. Sen. Lacson is a publicly known fierce detractor of the President,” Romualdo added.
Baguio City Rep. Mauricio Domogan said that it is unfair for the President to be dragged into the issues the two senators were tangling over as she is not part of them.
“The President is a stateswoman of the highest order and she will not engage in mudslinging. She would rather spend her remaining months in office to serve the interest of our people,” Domogan said.