Palace Backs Lacson in Taguig Flood Control

Palace Backs Lacson in Taguig Flood Control | Daily Tribune

Recently, Lacson declined Cayetano's invitation to visit Taguig and jointly inspect the city's flood control projects.

"Maybe next time when the flood control program in Taguig is fixed. It's been a while since I practiced swimming; I might drown in floodwater. Lol," Lacson wrote in a social media post.

Also on Tuesday, Lacson posted on X that it may instead be Cayetano who would "drown in the truth" after his team uncovered what he described as a "cauldron of worms" involving alleged ghost slope protection projects and the illegal reclamation of portions of Laguna Lake.

Lacson said his team's findings were validated during a meeting Monday night with officials of the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA), who also allegedly disclosed harassment tactics employed by Cayetano.

He also called for the forfeiture of the illegally reclaimed land in favor of the government.

"'MALULUNOD SA KATOTOHANAN' … Our Taguig City case study has opened a 'cauldron of worms' after my meeting with Philippine Reclamation Authority officials last night—from ghost slope protection projects to illegally reclaimed tracts of land covering Laguna Lake," Lacson said in his X post.

"Aside from the PRA and the Ombudsman, we will closely coordinate with the DPWH central office, LLDA, and other concerned agencies not only to jail the crooks behind these grossly anomalous and patently illegal activities but also forfeit the already reclaimed lakeshore areas in favor of the national government. There is no turning back!" he added.

Lacson also said PRA officials, who are under the Office of the President, confirmed the alleged harassment tactics employed by Cayetano during the November 2025 budget deliberations on the Office of the President.

"The same officials likewise disclosed physical intimidation when they conducted an on-site inspection along C6 in the lakeshore area where the illegal reclamation activities are taking place," he said.

Last weekend, Lacson said he had obtained evidence linking Cayetano to reclamation projects along Taguig's lakeshore that allegedly lacked the required permits from agencies, including the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

According to Lacson, the projects were funded through appropriations in the national budget that were intended for slope protection projects.

He also claimed that resource persons with knowledge of the alleged anomalies were harassed and intimidated, particularly during committee hearings.

Last week, Lacson and his team turned over to the Office of the Ombudsman evidence gathered from at least five case studies involving allegedly anomalous infrastructure projects in Taguig City.

According to Lacson, the evidence points to Cayetano allegedly exercising virtual control over Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) operations and related activities in Taguig, with district engineers supposedly being replaced if they acted without his approval. He also alleged the existence of a 33-percent kickback scheme in infrastructure projects in the city.

Meanwhile, in a Facebook Live broadcast on Tuesday, Cayetano said the time would come when he would also file a case against Lacson over the latter's alleged involvement in a separate flood control controversy.

"Not now kasi kakampi pa niya ang lahat. Nang-i-intimidate pa siya. Time will come," Cayetano said.