Taguig City 'Ghost Projects' Spark Controversy, Senator Accused

Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said Tuesday a number of Taguig City’s infrastructure initiatives opened a “cauldron of worms,” alluding to ghost slope protection projects and illegal reclamation activity in the Laguna Lake. Lacson, the former chair of the powerful Senate blue ribbon committee, initiated an investigation into the bailiwick of Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano after a heated verbal exchange where they traded corruption allegations. “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 on X (formerly Twitter). In a statement to the media, Lacson warned that the truth will be revealed. “Malulunod sa katotohanan,” Lacson said. (You will drown in the truth.) In July, Cayetano accused Lacson of doubling his income when the latter became a senator. Lacson shot back, saying that Cayetano had P.6.79 billion worth of budget insertions, with two of the funded initiatives becoming ghost projects. Cayetano has denied this, even inviting Lacson to see Taguig City for himself. However, Lacson has reiterated that the investigation has progressed, with the senator turning over evidence to the Office of the Ombudsman. GMA News has reached out to Cayetano's office for a response to Lacson’s latest statement, and will update this story once they respond. — RSJ, GMA News