Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada on Tuesday lashed out at Sen. Panfilo Lacson, saying the senator merely delivered a combination of “lies, half-truths, self-serving statements, and gutter talk,” and his accusations against his father based on fishwives’ tale.

Earlier, former President Joseph Estrada said he will not stand in the way of Sen. Lacson’s virulent personal attacks if it makes him happy and if he believes that “beating me to a pulp would force me to change my plans for next year’s May elections to benefit his favored presidential candidate.”

“Okay lang yung character assassination ni Sen. Lacson kung masaya siya,” Estrada told the Manila Bulletin, referring to a privilege speech delivered by Lacson Monday detailing the former president’s alleged corrupt acts while in office.

The young Estrada took the Senate floor to defend his father, former President Estrada, against Lacson’s earlier disclosure that the former leader was involved in smuggling, illegal gambling and using his position to bully business tycoon Alfonso Yuchengco into giving his stake in Philippine Long Distance Co. (PLDT) to Manuel V. Pangilinan.

Lacson’s revelations was confirmed by Ambassador Alfonso Yuchengco regarding the latter’s forced divestment of shares in telecom giant PLDT.

I confirm the statements made by Senator Panfilo Lacson in his privilege speech relating to my 7.75 percent PTIC holdings, equivalent to 2,017,650 PLDT common shares.

“These shares were taken from me in 1998 through sheer intimidation and serious threat to my businesses, myself and my family,” Yuchengco said in a statement.

“I always thought that lying has been the hallmark and trademark of the present administration. It is, however, contagious and sadly, it has also now reached the walls of this Chamber,” Estrada said during his privilege speech.

“After all is said and done, the bottom line here is that Mr. Lacson, in desperation, is now using the Senate floor to divert attention to President Estrada and away from himself in connection with the forthcoming non-bailable double murder charge that would be filed against him in the Dacer-Corbito murder charge that would be filed against him in the Dacer- Corbito case,” he further said.