Press Release
May 27, 2019

After Nearly 20 Years: Inquirer Apologizes for 'Fake News'; Lacson Responds

More at: https://pinglacson.net/2019/05/27/philippine-daily-inquirer-says-sorry-to-sen-lacson-senator-responds/

Finally, the truth.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer on Monday published an apology to Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson for opinion column articles in 2001, linking him to alleged misdeeds.

Lacson accepted the apology, thanking the Inquirer for its "humility and courage," adding getting his honor and dignity back means much to him.

"Time heals, forgives. Thank you, Philippine Daily Inquirer for your humility and courage to admit I am not the person you said I was. Getting back my honor and dignity matters a lot to me. It is with equal humility that I accept your apology," Lacson said in a tweet.

Earlier, Lacson said he has forgiven those who wronged him, including former Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines head Victor Corpus.

Corpus similarly apologized in 2017, admitting unjustly wronging Lacson in 2001 after being taken for a ride by Angelo "Ador" Mawanay, who himself retracted his own statements.

In its apology, the Inquirer said the articles it published in 2001 were mostly by then columnist Ramon Tulfo, linking Lacson to "misdeeds" while he was an officer of the Philippine Constabulary, based on the confession of self-confessed hitman Francisco "Kit" Mateo. Mateo recanted his confession before he died of colon cancer in January 2001.

The Inquirer also published articles linking Lacson to alleged multimillion-dollar account in US banks, which was based on an intelligence report submitted to then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo by Corpus. The articles turned out to be false.

"The Inquirer sincerely apologizes for the published articles based on testimonies of persons that turned out later to be false," the Inquirer said.

News Latest News Feed