Cayetanos Return From Singapore Trip, Cite Need for Rest

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano and his family have returned from a trip to Singapore, with the lawmaker stating that their overseas travel was simply for rest amid questions surrounding the journey. In a Facebook Live broadcast early Sunday, Cayetano said the trip was private and that there was no reason why they, as public officials, could not travel. "It was a private trip and we just wanted to rest," Cayetano said. The Cayetano siblings were seen arriving at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport early Sunday. He added that "responsible" public officials, including those from the Bureau of Immigration and the Office of the Ombudsman, had also stated there was no reason why they could not travel. Cayetano expressed surprise that their "routine, quiet and short" trip had become an issue, which he attributed to the country's increasingly "toxic" political environment, where people are quick to create conflict and controversy. The Senate minority leader's trip abroad had raised questions amid reports linking him to the controversy over the construction of the cauldron, or “kaldero,” used during the 2019 Southeast Asian Games. Senator Panfilo Lacson has also submitted to the Ombudsman case studies, supported by official documents, detailing the supposed “systemic anomalies” in flood control infrastructure projects in Taguig City, the political bailiwick of the Cayetanos. Cayetano also referred to what he described as Lacson’s “persecution” of him and his family, as well as Taguig. "I leave it to the Lord," he said. He stated that threatened cases, investigations, and constantly changing accusations were part of the cost of fighting for the country.