SENATOR Panfilo Lacson on Monday said that the presidency is all about service, not power.

The chairman and standard-bearer of Partido Reporma said that the nation’s leader must see himself as the people’s ultimate servant.

“We should all see Malacañang as the seat of public service instead of the seat of power. The people may not be its occupant’s masters but definitely he is their servant,” he said.

“Dapat ang occupant ang tingin sa sarili niya, servant. Ang ating kababayan may not be his masters but he is their servant. Kasi naluklok siya sa Malacañang, huwag niyang isipin upuan ng kapangyarihan kundi upuan ng public service,” he added.

When Lacson and other presidential candidates were asked to describe a photo of Malacañang during “The Jessica Soho Presidential Interviews” last Saturday, Lacson answered “public servant.”

Also during the event, Lacson and the other aspirants were shown a photo of President Rodrigo Duterte and were asked to describe him. Lacson answered “sayang.”

“Sayang, because he continues to have a very strong mandate from the Filipino people. He could actually have capitalized on his popularity and the people’s support to properly execute his administration’s all-out war against illegal drugs without the PNP having to resort to ‘extra-judicial’ means — at least in the early years of the campaign. That said, I have no reason to doubt his sincerity and firm resolve to end the decades-old problem of illegal drugs without the prospect of being hauled to court, worse the International Criminal Court,” he said.

He added Duterte’s fight against corruption in government could have attained unprecedented strides if he followed only one standard in running after the crooks in government, regardless of friendship and close association.