Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson has accused Sen. Imee Marcos of trying to play the role of the Senate’s “Meow Meow,” likening her to Cavite Rep. Kiko Barzaga who became infamous for his sharp criticisms of the Marcos administration and fellow lawmakers without presenting evidence.
“Meron siyang allocable doon na P2.5 billion sa NEP sa Cabral files. Meron din siyang napasama kasi burado ang allocables sa NEP pero pagdating sa insertion, paglabas sa bicam at ito ang na-enrolled bill, ang iba na-FLR. Pero si Sen. Imee, meron din doon… At ang FLR niya may na-release doon,” Lacson said in an interview on DZBB.
“Siya ang nag-iingay na tahasang kini-criticize niya ano ang budget ng 2026, ang napirmahan, sinabi niya may tadtad ng pork, may giniling, may tinadtad pero pork pa rin. Kung ganyan ang definition niya ng pork, siya ang may pork. So wala siyang moral ascendancy para i-criticize. Unang una, member siya ng bicam. Bakit di siya nag-raise ng issue, nang nasa bicam siya, tadtad ng pork ito? Wala tayong narinig sa kanya pero nandoon siya sa bicam,” he added.
Lacson pointed directly to the ₱2.5 billion in allocables linked to Marcos in the 2025 National Expenditure Program (NEP), even as she criticized what she called “ground pork” in the ratified 2026 national budget.
“Meron siyang allocable doon na ₱2.5 billion sa NEP sa Cabral files,” Lacson explained. “She keeps shouting about pork in the 2026 budget, saying it’s chopped, ground, minced — but pork just the same. If that’s her definition, then she has pork too. She has no moral ascendancy to criticize.”
He stressed that Marcos, as a member of the bicameral conference committee, failed to raise objections during deliberations. “Why didn’t she speak up when she was in the bicam? We never heard her raise the issue then,” Lacson added.
The senator also pointed out that Marcos had personally attended aid distribution events funded under programs she now labels as “soft pork,” such as the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) and Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS).
“Siya nga ang hilig mag-attend doon tapos sasabihin niyang may tinadtad may giniling na pork? Alam mo, pag wala kang moral ascendancy wag ka nang magsalita wag kang pumuna kasi babalik sa iyo yun. May sinasabing pag nasa glass house ka wag kang mambato,” Lacson said.
On Marcos’ claim that he barred the Blue Ribbon Committee from linking personalities like former Speaker Martin Romualdez to alleged flood control anomalies, Lacson was blunt: “How can she say that when she doesn’t even attend the hearings?”
He also dismissed her accusation that senators were limited to 10 minutes of questioning.
Kung hindi niya naiintindihan, mayroong tinatawag na discipline. Kung pababayaan natin eh di hindi makakapagtanong ang iba. Meron naman second round at saka unang-unang, paano niya masasabing pinagbabawalan eh hindi naman siya uma-attend ng hearing,” he clarified.
Lacson concluded with a sharp rebuke: “Meron akong nasabi ko na ito, the best response to nonsense is silence. Pero pagka nagiinsulto na, hindi mo na rin pwedeng i-disregard. Iniinsulto niya ang Blue Ribbon Committee, ina-undermine niya ang integridad ng committee na member din naman siya doon. Bakit di siya mag-attend at tanungin niya?” (ZIA LUNA)
