MANILA – Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan appealed to Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson to reconsider his decision to resign as chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, saying his continued leadership is vital amid the political crisis facing the country.

“I hope Senator Ping will reconsider his decision to resign as Chairman of the Blue Ribbon Committee,” Pangilinan said in a statement.

He noted that while some members of the Senate majority bloc disagreed with some of Lacson’s earlier public pronouncements, the issue had already been clarified during their caucus on October 1.

“My sense was and is that while there were a number of our colleagues in the Majority bloc who disagreed with some earlier public pronouncements made by him, the matter had been threshed out and clarified by him in a majority caucus held last Wednesday, Oct. 1. No one in the majority bloc sought his replacement as Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman,” Pangilinan said.

He urged Lacson to remain in his post and called on his colleagues in the majority to reaffirm their support for the senator.

“I appeal to Senator Ping to stay on as Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman and appeal as well to our colleagues in the majority bloc to reaffirm our support for him to stay on even as we iron out our differences,” he added.

Pangilinan said he appreciated Lacson’s “sensitivity” to the sentiments of his fellow senators but expressed hope that renewed support from the majority would convince him to stay.

“While I appreciate Senator Ping’s sensitivity to the sentiments expressed by our fellow Senators in the Majority as a reason for his resignation, I am still hopeful that with the renewed support of the Majority bloc he will be convinced to stay on,” Pangilinan said.

He stressed the need for stability and strong institutions as the country faces political challenges.

“Now more than ever, amidst the political crisis facing the nation, our people are looking for stability and certainty in the state of our affairs and looking to the strength of our institutions to withstand the ongoing crisis and resolve it in favor of truth, transparency and public accountability,” he said.