Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano addressed Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Sunday, August 2, as their public dispute over alleged irregular flood control initiatives in Taguig City intensified.
During a social media livestream, Cayetano responded directly to Lacson’s refusal to inspect Taguig’s flood control infrastructure—a decline Lacson had jokingly attributed to his inability to swim through the city’s floods.
“Senator Lacson, hindi ka malulunod sa Taguig, malulunod ka sa katotohanan. ‘Yan ha, kapag puro ka sinungalingan, ang nakakalunod yung katotohanan,” Cayetano said.
Cayetano shared that members of the public have questioned Lacson’s persistent focus on him regarding the alleged non-existent flood control projects, alleging that Lacson targeted him after he supposedly crossed a line.
“Ang dami nagte-text sa akin at tinatanong kung ano ang motibo… kasi sabi niya I crossed the line, kaya araw-araw ako na lang at exclusive ako ang binabanatan,” Cayetano said.
Defense of Infrastructure Progress
Addressing Taguig’s history with flooding, Cayetano acknowledged past vulnerabilities while emphasizing the progress achieved through continuous infrastructure developments over the years.
“Yung 30-40 years ago na mga baha na two months, three months hanggang waist, hanggang dibdib, lumaki ako sa Taguig po na ganyan ang nararanasan,” he recalled.
He credited local leaders and past administrations for constructing and widening key dikes to mitigate severe water accumulation across the city.
“Hindi ka malulunod sa baha dito. I mean, barring 10 days of rain or an extraordinary rainfall na may mabara. Kasi kahit papaano, compared to the other Metro Manila cities, flash flood or certain areas na lang po,” Cayetano added.
Call for Evidence and Focus on Key Issues
Cayetano renewed his invitation for Lacson and other critics to visit Taguig to evaluate the projects firsthand, urging that any discussions be grounded in concrete evidence rather than rhetoric.
“Eto yung pondo, eto yung project. Apples to apples talaga,” he stressed.
The friction between the two lawmakers arose after Lacson launched an inquiry into Taguig’s infrastructure projects and subsequently submitted related documents and testimony to the Office of the Ombudsman.
Cayetano urged the public to let formal investigations proceed while maintaining attention on broader national concerns, such as impeachment proceedings, rising electricity costs, and inflation.
“As he does his worst, we will do our best. As he spreads lies, we will spread truth,” Cayetano concluded.