MANILA, Philippines — Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano and Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson traded barbs anew over the flood-control probe, with Cayetano accusing Lacson of interfering in ongoing investigations and Lacson hitting back that he was merely following the evidence.
In a Facebook livestream, Cayetano referred to Lacson as “Chief Justice Lacson,” “Prosecutor Lacson” and “DOJ Lacson,” saying the senator was acting as though he had authority over several investigations.
“Senator Lacson has become Chief Justice Lacson, Prosecutor Lacson, DOJ Lacson, Secretary Lacson — he is everything. He is the one calling the shots at the LLDA (Laguna Lake Development Authority), the Blue Ribbon Committee, the DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government), and the PRA (Philippine Reclamation Authority),” Cayetano said.
Cayetano’s remarks came amid a dispute over Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon’s statements on alleged ghost projects in Taguig City, the Cayetanos’ political bailiwick.
Cayetano said he had been accused of influencing Dizon’s findings because of their previous working relationship, but pointed out that Lacson was also close to the public works secretary.
He said Dizon had initially told him that he found no ghost projects in Taguig but later clarified that the investigation remained ongoing and that the alleged irregularities still needed further validation.
“Immediately, it was given a political color and malicious intent — that because I am close to Secretary Vince Dizon, we supposedly cooked up, or the two of us cooked up, his statement that there were no ghost projects in Taguig,” Cayetano said.
“First, let me clarify that Senator Ping Lacson is very close to Secretary Dizon,” he added.
Lacson, for his part, said he would take Cayetano’s descriptions as a compliment if they came from someone credible.
“IF THIS WERE COMING FROM SOMEONE CREDIBLE, I’D TAKE IT AS A COMPLIMENT,” Lacson said in a post on X, quoting Cayetano’s remarks.
Lacson said Cayetano’s attempt to portray him as an investigator and prosecutor reflected his persistence in raising questions and gathering evidence on alleged wrongdoing.
He maintained that his actions were not personal and that he was guided by evidence.
“This is not personal. If you see an anomaly, would you just close your eyes to it?" Lacson said in a DZMM radio interview Tuesday.
Lacson said anomalies he found in flood-control projects last year prompted him to dig deeper, eventually leading him to deliver two privilege speeches on alleged corruption involving projects in Bulacan and Oriental Mindoro.
As chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee at the time, Lacson said hearings uncovered additional evidence that eventually led to cases against several individuals.
“These have cascaded into cases now, whether before the Sandiganbayan or the Ombudsman. I believe my team helped expose the anomalies in flood-control projects," he said.
Lacson said he would continue to answer Cayetano’s allegations with documents and other evidence.
“I’m just responding. Whenever he speaks, I respond with the receipts," he said.
