LACSON THROWS FULL SUPPORT BEHIND CHIEF JUSTICE PUNO

Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson on Thursday threw his full support behind Chief Justice Reynato Puno, who he described as the beacon that moral forces are looking for as a leader of the nation.

Lacson said he is willing to defer to Puno, who had shown his independence from Malacañang on several occasions, and convince his supporters to shift their bedrock support to the Chief Justice.

"I myself will unequivocally exhaust all my energy, talent and resources to support his bid, and all the way. I firmly believe that only when the righteous are in authority that people can rejoice. But if we allow the wicked to rule, we will always hear our people groan in suffering and disgust," he said.

Amid talk of moves to impeach him, Puno on Wednesday stressed the need for a "moral force" to manifest itself.

Puno said the main problem of the country is not so much the legal system but the moral decadence of the people.

Lacson said he is willing to support Puno all the way should he decide to lead the country.

"In God's time, if and when he decides to rise up to the challenge, I shall under any circumstances defer to him right away and convince my solid followers to shift their bedrock support to the Chief Justice," he said.