MANILA, Philippines — The political clash between Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson and siblings Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano and Sen. Pia Cayetano is escalating as allegations surrounding infrastructure and reclamation projects in Taguig City continue to draw scrutiny.
Lacson on Saturday rejected the Cayetanos’ accusations of “selective justice” and intimidation, arguing that his focus on Taguig stems from evidence and documents that have already been submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman—not from a political decision to target the Cayetano family.
The dispute intensified after Alan Cayetano challenged Lacson to investigate flood-control projects in other parts of the country with the same level of scrutiny being applied to Taguig. Cayetano argued that concentrating on his political bailiwick could fuel perceptions of selective enforcement.
Lacson responded that he was not practicing selective justice but “prioritizing” cases where substantial evidence had surfaced.
He pointed to his previous work on flood-control investigations outside Taguig, including areas in Bulacan and Oriental Mindoro, and said his Senate privilege speeches and Blue Ribbon Committee hearings had previously produced evidence concerning alleged irregularities in public-works projects.
Taguig allegations continue to expand
The dispute comes as Lacson’s investigation into Taguig infrastructure projects has expanded considerably.
Lacson’s team has submitted at least 45 case studies and official documents to the Ombudsman concerning what he describes as systemic anomalies in flood-control infrastructure in the city. Philstar reported that new witnesses had also approached the Ombudsman and allegedly provided information about deliveries of large amounts of money connected to infrastructure projects. Those claims are being evaluated as part of the fact-finding investigation.
Lacson has also raised questions about reclamation along the Taguig side of Laguna de Bay.
According to information he attributed to the Philippine Reclamation Authority, at least 13 land titles cover about 170 hectares of alleged encroachment in the Taguig portion of Laguna Lake. Lacson said some titled areas identified through satellite and digital mapping were still covered by water.
The figure is significantly higher than Lacson’s earlier estimate of 85 hectares. Philstar reported that the Taguig area represents nearly one-third of an estimated 560 hectares of encroachment across portions of Laguna de Bay in Taguig, Rizal and Laguna.
Billions in government projects under scrutiny
Another major issue is the amount of public money involved.
Lacson has said that approximately P3.713 billion was spent on completed, ongoing and suspended DPWH flood-control and multipurpose projects located along portions of the Laguna Lakeshore reclamation areas in Taguig that are now under scrutiny. The figure was also reported by the Philippine News Agency based on Lacson’s statements and official records cited by his team.
GMA News likewise reported Lacson’s claim that the P3.713 billion covered projects connected to areas he described as illegally reclaimed, while noting that Lacson had also raised separate allegations involving suspected ghost projects, recycled photographs and possible double appropriations along the Taguig River.
Earlier in the investigation, Lacson’s team said it had identified 32 allegedly anomalous flood-control projects in Taguig. The allegations included projects that were allegedly billed using photographs from other projects and instances in which a project appeared to have received separate appropriations.
These claims have not been established as criminal wrongdoing by a final court judgment. The Ombudsman fact-finding process remains important in determining whether the allegations are supported by evidence and whether charges should eventually be filed.
Cayetano rejects the allegations
Cayetano has disputed Lacson’s characterization of the Taguig projects and has accused his fellow senator of pursuing what he described as persecution against him, his family and Taguig.
He has argued that the city’s flood-control infrastructure has contributed to a substantial reduction in flooding in areas that previously experienced frequent flooding. He has also maintained that investigations should not be concentrated on one political area.
Cayetano has also said that earlier reviews did not establish the anomalies Lacson is alleging, while Lacson has continued to insist that the evidence now being presented warrants further investigation. BusinessMirror previously reported the competing claims and noted that the Ombudsman had received Lacson’s documentary and testimonial evidence.
The disagreement therefore goes beyond a personal exchange between two senators: it now involves questions about public spending, flood-control infrastructure, reclamation permits, government property and the scope of accountability investigations.
Pia Cayetano enters the dispute
Pia Cayetano has also raised concerns over what she described as pressure or threats connected to the continuing controversy.
Lacson said he understood himself to be the senator Pia was referring to and maintained that he would continue pursuing the issues.
He argued that political figures facing allegations should respond to the substance of the accusations rather than focus solely on the person raising them. His statements were published in his own account of the dispute and should therefore be distinguished from independently established findings.
What happens next?
The key development now is the ongoing fact-finding process.
The Ombudsman is examining the allegations involving Taguig infrastructure projects, while government agencies are also dealing with questions surrounding reclamation along Laguna de Bay. Lacson has said the evidence could eventually lead to charges, but the filing of any criminal case—and ultimately a finding of liability—would require the appropriate legal process.
For now, the political confrontation continues.
Cayetano is demanding that investigations be applied broadly rather than concentrated on Taguig. Lacson, meanwhile, maintains that the Taguig investigation is being driven by evidence already gathered and submitted to investigators.
And with the alleged reclamation area now placed at 170 hectares, at least 45 case studies reportedly submitted to the Ombudsman, and billions of pesos in public projects under scrutiny, the investigation could have consequences far beyond the latest exchange between the two senators.
