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“Malacanang will designate the nominees in the accredited party-lists. They will help them campaign. Once they win, the compromised party-lists will not stand for the marginalized sectors they claim to represent because Malacanang has bought them,” Lacson said in a press conference here Thursday night.
The senator is seeking reelection under the Genuine Opposition ticket.
He joined the clamor of some groups for the Commission on Elections to reveal the identities of the nominees of party-list groups who are reportedly supported by President Arroyo.
The Comelec has turned down the demand, saying the candidate is the party-list itself not the nominee.
But Lacson noted a number of lawyers have a different opinion and that they have even suggested bringing the issue to court.
At the same time, the senator took potshots at Virgilio Garcillano, a former Comelec commissioner who was accused of rigging the result of the 2004 presidential election in favor of Arroyo.
Garcillano is running for representative of the First District of Bukidnon. His opponents are Maria Lourdes Acosta, sister of three-term Rep. Nereus Acosta who is running for governor, and Candido Pancrudo, a protégé of Gov. Jose Maria R. Zubiri Jr.
“I cannot accept in conscience that one who was involved in the 2004 election cheating is seeking a seat in Congress. It’s a shame as a nation if he wins,” Lacson said.
He said there has been no conclusion of the “Hello Garci” controversy and that the people should know what Garcillano actually did.
Lacson ran for president in 2004.