Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said Sen. Alan Cayetano’s criticism of his Taguig flood-control probe showed “ignorance” of how complex corruption cases should be investigated, stressing that evidence must be carefully established before authorities act.

“It must be deliberate, methodical and thorough; not hasty nor sloppy,” Lacson said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

Cayetano, Senate minority leader, accused Lacson of preempting the findings of the Ombudsman and Land Registration Authority in their ongoing investigations into Taguig projects.

“I support any investigation. My only concern is when it turns into the kind of ‘trial by publicity’ that Senator Lacson is engaging in. It has been like a striptease every day for the past three months — yet there is no real evidence, just constant accusations,” Cayetano said in a Facebook Live.

He also denied Lacson’s claim that he intimidated potential witnesses, accusing Lacson instead of threatening contractors with possible plunder charges unless they cooperated with his probe. Cayetano said two contractors eventually executed affidavits against Taguig.

Subpoenas

The Ombudsman has received two batches of evidence from Lacson’s office concerning alleged ghost, substandard and double-billed infrastructure and reclamation projects in Taguig.

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said subpoenas had been issued to the Department of Public Works and Highways, Philippine Reclamation Authority and Land Registration Authority for records on the projects.

Lacson said P14.4 billion in public funds was involved in alleged anomalous Taguig infrastructure projects from 2020 to 2025, including the alleged recycling of photographs from completed projects to justify payments for supposedly new works.

He also warned that P3.713 billion in projects could be wasted if illegal reclamation is established.