The findings on the Taguig flood control projects produced by the independent investigation by Senator Ping Lacson will be exposed in the next Senate hearing, despite the same were already turned over to the Ombudsman. 

Lacson made the announcement after Minority Leader Alan Cayetano derided allegations of “ghost” and duplicate projects in Taguig—the latter’s political bailiwick—as “malicious,” which he said was a combination of mali (wrong) and delicious, or for it to sound good or appetizing to the public. 

“Kung anu-ano na ang pinagsasabi. The public may partake of the 'delicious' part if they watch the Blue Ribbon Committee hearings where the details of the truth behind the 5 Taguig case studies that we submitted to the Ombudsman will be exposed," Lacson said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

The findings of five case studies were turned over to the Ombudsman on Tuesday, with the recommendation that plunder, graft, and malversation be filed against those allegedly behind anomalous flood control projects in Taguig.

Cayetano has repeatedly denied that there are “ghost” or non-existent projects in Taguig, which he argued remains flood-free compared to neighboring cities. 

He also warned Lacson of solely relying on the supposed evidence supplied by his “reliable informants,” saying the documents might have been motivated by a personal vendetta by disgruntled ex-state officials and private contractors whom he previously investigated.

Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chair Erwin Tulfo confirmed that they plan to reopen the flood control probe next week but alleged that the minority bloc, led by Cayetano, is blocking its resumption despite aggressively pushing for it in the past months.

Earlier, Lacson mentioned that PTV general manager Lino Cayetano, the senator’s estranged brother, showed interest in taking part in the BRC’s investigation on the supposed anomalous projects in Taguig. 

Lino previously called for an audit of more than P6 billion worth of flood control and infrastructure projects implemented in Taguig from 2022 to 2025.

Lacson alleged that the money involved was more than double that amount, or totaling P14.4 billion, covering 2020—when Cayetano was still the Speaker of the House of Representatives—to 2025. 

The flagged projects allegedly involve misrepresenting an illegal reclamation project as slope protection structures, several ghost projects, double funding, and the recycling of photos from previously completed contracts to justify billing and collection of payments for purportedly new projects. 

Alan dismissed Lacson’s allegations as “sweeping” and overly broad, but vowed to confront them head-on.

Lacson, the ex-BRC chair, averred that while he will continue to submit additional evidence to the Ombudsman, this does not preclude any action the BRC may take in the course of the committee’s investigation.