TAGUIG CITY, Philippines — Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano and Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson clashed on Friday, October 2, over ongoing allegations of illegal reclamation activities in the Taguig Lakeshore area.
The tension escalated after Lacson posted a 25-second video showing a joint inspection team—comprising officials from the Office of the Ombudsman, Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA), Land Registration Authority (LRA), and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)—examining garbage dumping at the site.
”Paging DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) and LLDA (Laguna Lake Development Authority) — Taken this morning during a joint Ombudsman-PRA-LRA-DPWH on-site inspection at Taguig Lakeshore area… If this isn’t a total display of impunity and disrespect for the law, I don’t know what is,” Lacson said in his post.
”Tuloy-tuloy ang illegal reclamation sa Taguig side ng Laguna Lake. Somebody feels he is above the law,” he added.
Lacson noted that a cause-oriented group protested at the Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday against the alleged illegal land reclamation by the Taguig local government unit.
He identified individuals linked to the activity, including former Taguig-Pateros Assistant District Engineer Lamberto de Leon, Atty. Joel Montales, and Arjay Castañeda, stating they are connected to the Cayetano family.
In a livestream late Friday evening, Cayetano responded by emphasizing that while he respects the mandate of constitutional bodies conducting inquiries in his city, any probe into public works must remain fair and objective.
“We submit completely to all those Constitutional principles, departments, bodies – whether it’s the Ombudsman, DOJ (Department of Justice), NBI (National Bureau of Investigation), at kung ano man na investigative body. Dapat masunod iyan… Imbestigahan niyo kasi karapatan niyo iyan. That’s why, I say, I respect all the ongoing investigation,” Cayetano said during an October 2 livestream.
“We believe in the law. Abogado ako. I took an oath to uphold the Constitution and to follow the law. But the investigation has to be fair,” he added.
Cayetano accused Lacson’s team of using coercive methods to gather statements from contractors regarding local projects.
“Kapag sinubo mo ang isang affidavit sa isang tao, (at sinabing) ‘pirmahan mo iyan, kung hindi, kakasuhan kita,’ that’s asking him to give false testimony,” he pointed out.
”My point is, in everything we do, the process is important. Hindi pwedeng ‘the end justifies the means,’” he said.
“It has to be done with the right methodology. It has to be done na factual,” he added.
Cayetano argued that Lacson’s approach constitutes an overreach, claiming the senator behaves as if “he feels that he is above the law at this point in time, but wala namang forever diyan.”
Calling for an end to politically charged investigations, Cayetano urged the public to reject selective inquiries.
“Let me talk to all Filipinos regardless of our religion. Iisa bansa natin… Ang dami-dami na nating problema, bakit pa natin pinapadami at pinalalaki pa ang sarili natin mga problema?” he said.
“Siguro dapat bilang mga Pilipino, matuto din tayo magsabi when enough is enough,” he added.