The dispute between Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and Panfilo “Ping” Lacson over the investigation of alleged irregularities in flood control projects escalated Tuesday, with Cayetano accusing Lacson of acting as though he had authority over several agencies and investigative bodies.
In a Facebook livestream on Sept. 29, Cayetano described Lacson as “Chief Justice Lacson, Prosecutor Lacson, DOJ Lacson, Secretary Lacson,” alleging that the senator was dictating how investigations should proceed.
“Si Senator (Ping) Lacson kasi ay Chief Justice Lacson, Prosecutor Lacson, DOJ (Department of Justice) Lacson, Secretary Lacson – siya na ang lahat. Siya na ang nagdidikta eh – sa LLDA (Laguna Lake Development Authority), Blue Ribbon Committee, DILG (Department of Interior and Local Government), at PRA (Philippine Reclamation Authority). Kahit sila na mismo ang magsabi, babaguhin niya,” Cayetano said.
Cayetano’s remarks came amid a dispute over Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon’s statements regarding questioned flood control projects in Taguig City.
During a Senate budget hearing on Sept. 25, Dizon initially told Cayetano that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) had found no ghost projects in Taguig based on its investigation. DPWH later clarified that the statement referred to projects that had been conclusively established as ghost projects, while several questioned projects in Taguig remained under investigation.
Lacson had challenged the initial finding and raised questions about several Taguig projects, including one whose geotagged photographs reportedly placed its coordinates in Leyte. He later welcomed Dizon’s clarification but cautioned against concluding that no ghost projects existed in Taguig while the investigation was ongoing.
Cayetano, meanwhile, said he had been accused of influencing Dizon’s findings because of his previous working relationship with the public works secretary.
“Nilagyan kaagad ng kulay at malisya na dahil malapit ako kay Secretary Vince Dizon ay parang niluto namin o niya o kaming dalawa ‘yung sinabing walang ghost project sa Taguig. So unang-una, lilinawin ko po iyon – si Senator Ping Lacson po ay malapit na malapit kay Secretary Dizon,” he said.
Cayetano also questioned why Lacson appeared to have access to investigation reports while he had not received documents from Dizon.
“Eh ako, ni isang papel, hindi binigyan ni Secretary Dizon ng kopya. Pero sabi niya, open daw sa lahat,” he said.
The minority leader further alleged that Lacson’s political ambitions had contributed to their dispute.
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