Ping sees more ‘ghosts,’ Alan cries ‘witch hunt’
He alleged that some flood mitigation projects were used to disguise reclamation activities and that photographs from completed projects were reused to support new contracts.
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He alleged that some flood mitigation projects were used to disguise reclamation activities and that photographs from completed projects were reused to support new contracts.
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Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said Saturday that an investigation into alleged infrastructure irregularities in Taguig City had uncovered suspected “ghost” flood mitigation and slope protection projects.
Lacson was responding to Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, who on Friday likened the probe into infrastructure projects in his political bailiwick to “a search for ghosts.”
“True. There are many ghosts in slope protection and flood mitigation projects along Taguig River. The Ombudsman is now investigating,” Lacson said in a post on X.
“The illegal reclamation is a separate case that they are also looking into,” he added. Lacson earlier said his team had identified at least 32 projects it considered anomalous in Taguig.
He alleged that some flood mitigation projects were used to disguise reclamation activities and that photographs from completed projects were reused to support new contracts.
Cayetano rejected the accusations, calling them a “demolition job,” “trial by publicity” and “witch hunt.”
“Yes, I am openly saying that Senator Panfilo Lacson is carrying out a demolition job, a trial by publicity, and a witch hunt in Taguig City,” Cayetano said in a Facebook livestream.
“But he is linking all the projects to Taguig and to me, all the titles there. It’s not only unfair, but it’s just plain wrong,” he added.
Lacson’s latest remarks followed his disclosure Friday that several Taguig City Public Order and Safety Office (POSO) personnel had been arrested after a confrontation with Ombudsman investigators at a Laguna de Bay reclamation site.
The Taguig government said the incident was a misunderstanding and denied that its personnel intended to interfere with the investigation.
It said a POSO team approached an unmarked vehicle and people operating a drone along C6 Road in Barangay Sta. Ana at about 7:20 a.m. The group initially did not identify themselves as Ombudsman personnel.
