MANILA — Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said that “repentance,” without corresponding corrective actions, cannot erase corruption and other forms of wrongdoing.

“I agree and associate myself with Taguig City ex-Mayor Lino Cayetano in this regard,” Lacson posted on X, in response to Cayetano’s remarks rejecting Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano’s claim that Filipinos as a people are guilty of wrongdoing and that repentance is what matters.

“I know government officials who committed sins by stealing public funds, repented, stole again and repented again a number of times. In the meantime, people suffer from their belief that absolution comes after repentance,” Lacson added.

Senator Cayetano had said in a Facebook Live post on Sunday that Filipinos are guilty “from vote buying to cheating to stealing to lying,” and that repentance is the key.

But former Mayor Lino Cayetano countered that such statements from “traditional politicians” only fuel public anger, saying Filipinos are God-fearing and aspire for the best for their families.

“Hindi likas ang magnakaw, bumili ng boto, magsinungaling, at hindi din solusyon at absolusyon ang pag ‘repent’ lamang. Let’s not normalize corruption. Let’s fight it!” he said.