o many Filipinos Senator Panfilo 'Ping' Lacson is--to paraphrase Winston Churchill--"a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma." So far, his tenure in the legislature, offers scant evidence as to whether he shares the sharp intellect of esteemed senators past (e.g. Lorenzo Tanada, Claro M. Recto, Ninoy Aquino, Gerry Roxas, Soc Rodrigo, Jovito Salonga, and Jose Diokno), nor does it provide much insight as to where he stands on many significant political issues.

What seems crystal clear however is Sen. Lacson's determination to become president. Not since Ferdinand Marcos, has there been a more determined presidential "wannabe." And like Marcos, many fear that he might just covet the office a little too much. His calculated and unceasing attacks discrediting the Arroyo administration in the hope of possibly causing its collapse, underscores his impatience to wait out the five or so years the present administration still has left on its mandate.

Unfortunately, Mr. Lacson  has too checkered a past to ever get the support of the majority of level-headed Filipinos in his bid for Malacaņang. The Kuratong Baleleng incident provided a glimpse as to the extent of his ruthlessness, while the "demolition job" he has orchestrated on the president's husband, Miguel Arroyo shows that he will use his legislative immunity to cast spurious charges at opponents rather than challenge them in a court of law.

In the current "Juetenggate" and "Hello Garci" scandals, Lacson's hand along with those of lesser political operators, including deposed president Estrada and his erstwhile mistress Laarni Enriquez, is proving to be in evidence everywhere, just beneath the surface.

Here in the US, thanks to a effective and impartial California judiciary, Sen. Lacson has been slapped with a three million dollar judgment for his role in the PNP-Smith & Wesson handcuff scandal. The plaintiff in the case, businesswoman Blanquita Pelaez--herself a former US Federal employee, charged that Lacson, while chief of the PNP (Philippine National Police), held-up her payment for US-made handcuffs she supplied the police, unless she filed a false complaint against other senior PNP officials. It is surmised that such a complaint would have made it easy for Lacson to remove those officials from the PNP if and when he chose to.

Today, as the Arroyo government struggles to regain its footing, the Lacson and Estrada camps seem to latch on to every opportunity to destabilize it. And overseas Filipinos are understandably troubled by the prospect of a Panfilo Lacson presidency. Many have vowed to do all in their power to make sure that such a dreadful scenario will never come to pass.

Postscript: (8/18/2005 ABS-CBN News) Superior Court Judge Barbara Miller has issued a warrant of arrest for Sen. Panfilo Lacson after he failed to appear in court on August 17, 2005 in connection with a default judgment handed in 2003, TV Patrol reported Thursday. Blanquita Pelaez's lawyer Rodel Rodis said he received verification that Lacson was served the warrant.