“I am one person who will not shy away from responsibility,’’ Lacson said after a two-hour press forum at the Diamond Hotel in Ermita in reply to a query whether he might accept the DILG post.

So far, there has been no Cabinet post offered to him by Malacañang, he said.

Under the Constitution, the longest tenure for a senator is two consecutive six-year term. He can later run after waiting for the lapse of a three-year congressional term.

At the start of the press forum, Lacson said his being named as DILG chief was not one of the issues he and President Aquino discussed when he recently met with the President in Malacañang.

During that segment of the press forum where he was asked whether he would accept the DILG post if offered, Lacson said acting DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo is doing a good job handling various department problems such as those involving police and local government officials.

Lacson said Robredo is trying his best and should thus “stay there.”

He said he would not make an assessment of Robredo’s performance.

There is no clear explanation why President Aquino has not made Robredo’s appointment a permanent one.

Before Congress went on a 45-day recess last March 23, the bicameral Commission on Appointment (CA) has by-passed Agrarian Reform Secretary Virgilio R. de los Reyes, Social Welfare Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, and Economic Planning Secretary Cayetano Paderanga.

The appointments of Robredo and acting Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje have not been submitted by Malacañang to the CA.

Lacson was a Philippine National Police (PNP) director-general during the later part of the Estrada administration.

Asked what would be his focus if elected president of the Republic, Lacson said his priority is the elimination of the corrosive effect of corruption, followed by peace and order, and economic development and poverty alleviation.

Lacson also said that he politely rejected an offer by President Aquino to get his share of the “pork barrel” (countrywide development fund or CDF) given to senators (P200 million each), and congressmen (P70 million each).

As he stressed his position that he is against the receipt by members of Congress of the “pork barrel,” Lacson said he does not want to be stained by the perception that some senators and congressmen exact a percentage or commission from public works projects funded by their CDF.

Robredo stays

Later in the day, Deputy Presidential Spokeswoman Abigail Valte dispelled rumors that Robredo will be replaced soon by Lacson.

Valte said Robredo will keep his post as head of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), insisting there was no discussions about an imminent change in the Cabinet portfolio.

Asked if Lacson is included in a shortlist for possible Cabinet replacements, Valte said: “I don’t see that. As far as I’m aware, Secretary Robredo is still in the DILG.”

Mario Casayuran, Manila Bulletin