MANILA, Philippines — Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano has raised fresh concerns over alleged threats and intimidation directed at members of the opposition, suggesting that the identity of those supposedly behind the pressure is already “obvious.”
Cayetano made the remarks on Monday, September 14, amid the ongoing impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, where he and his sister, Senator Pia Cayetano, separately brought up concerns about alleged intimidation involving members of the Senate minority.
“Obvious naman, di ba guys?” Cayetano said when asked who he believed was behind the alleged threats.
He stopped short of directly naming a person or group.
Instead, Cayetano pointed to what he described as a pattern involving political statements, possible cases and the changing number of opposition figures facing scrutiny.
“When Senator Ping, as an example, says, dapat matapos ’yung impeachment by December, then by December may kaso daw ako. The changing of the numbers. Sino ba kinakasuhan? ’Yung nasa oposisyon,” Cayetano said, according to GMA News.
Cayetano was referring to Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, who has been involved in separate investigations and political disputes involving Cayetano.
When reporters asked who could be behind the alleged threats, Cayetano responded: “Alangan naman ang opposition mag-threaten sa kapwa opposition?”
He then urged the public to look closely at the developments.
“Let’s open our eyes. If we want to see the truth, all we have to do is open our eyes,” he added.
Pia Cayetano also raises intimidation concerns
The allegations came during the 24th day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.
During the proceedings, Senator Pia Cayetano asked former Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang whether judges had encountered threats because of their profession.
Cabotaje-Tang said she had not encountered such threats in relation to cases pending before the anti-graft court.
Pia then said that she and her colleagues had experienced such concerns.
Alan Peter Cayetano later made a lighthearted reference to a writ of amparo, asking Cabotaje-Tang whether she could issue one for senator-judges who were allegedly being intimidated.
A writ of amparo is a legal remedy intended to protect the rights to life, liberty and security of individuals facing threats or violations, including threats linked to extralegal killings and enforced disappearances.
Cayetano does not directly name Malacañang
The remarks have generated speculation over whom Cayetano was referring to.
The Filipino Times reported that Cayetano was asked directly whether he was referring to Malacañang. He did not provide a direct answer, instead repeating his call for people to “open” their eyes and examine the developments for themselves.
As of the latest reports, Malacañang had not issued a response to Cayetano’s remarks.
That distinction is important: Cayetano has suggested that the source of the alleged pressure is apparent, but he has not publicly identified a specific person or office as the source of the alleged threats.
Lacson-Cayetano clash adds another layer
The accusations come as Cayetano and Lacson remain locked in a political dispute.
Lacson has been scrutinizing alleged irregularities involving infrastructure projects in Taguig City, Cayetano’s political stronghold. Cayetano has accused Lacson of conducting what he called a “demolition job,” “trial by publicity” and “witch hunt” against him and Taguig.
Lacson, for his part, has rejected Cayetano’s characterization of his investigation.
The dispute has unfolded alongside continuing tensions inside the Senate and the highly consequential impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte.
The bigger political picture
The latest allegations therefore come at a particularly sensitive moment for the Senate.
Cayetano remains one of the prominent figures in the opposition bloc while also facing scrutiny over issues involving Taguig. At the same time, the impeachment trial has placed senators in the spotlight as they act as members of the impeachment court.
GMA News reported that Cayetano’s comments came after both he and Pia raised concerns about supposed threats against opposition senators and senator-judges. The Senate minority leader linked the alleged intimidation to what he described as the increasing legal and political pressure being directed at members of the opposition.
However, there is currently no independent confirmation establishing who is responsible for the alleged threats, and Cayetano’s comments should therefore be treated as an allegation rather than an established fact.
For now, his most striking message remains his cryptic response: “It’s obvious.”
But with no specific individual or institution named, the question now hanging over the Senate is whether Cayetano will eventually identify exactly who he believes is behind the alleged intimidation — and whether those he appears to be pointing toward will respond.
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