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Marc Jayson Cayabyab - The Philippine Star
March 15, 2026 | 12:00am
Panfilo Lacson on February 10, 2026.
STAR / Ryan Baldemor
MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson cautioned the Commission on Appointments (CA) against approving Sen. Rodante Marcoleta’s request to strike out from its records his controversial “give up the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG)” remark.
Speaking to dzMM yesterday, Lacson said this will set a bad precedent if any member would want to remove their remarks during CA proceedings because of backlash.
He said the CA may be held liable for falsification of legislative documents, punishable under the Revised Penal Code, if they give in to Marcoleta’s request to alter official documents.
“Falsification of legislative records is punishable under Art. 170 of the Revised Penal Code. That is why we must carefully study the legal implications. As of now, Marcoleta’s motion to amend his remarks is still pending,” Lacson said.
“I have relayed this concern to Senate President Vicente Sotto III because he is also the CA chairman. We must be careful lest we be charged with falsification of legislative records and be implicated as co-conspirators because we approved the amendment,” he added.
The situation is made more complicated by a resolution passed by the Kalayaan municipal council and sent to the CA, seeking to expunge Marcoleta’s remarks from congressional records.
“No less than the people of Kalayaan municipality have aired their sentiments to remove his remarks from records. That is on page 22 of the journal, which I bookmarked. We must consider the resolution of the Sangguniang Bayan of Kalayaan,” Lacson said.
For now, Lacson said Marcoleta’s motion to amend a portion of the records has been referred to the CA’s Committee on Rules for study.
Lacson had accused Marcoleta of being pro-China due to his remarks that seem to favor Beijing’s South China Sea claims. Marcoleta denied this, saying he only wanted the national government to better protect its entitlements to the West Philippine Sea.
