Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson is on Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano’s case and has taken it upon himself to look into allegations of ghost infrastructure projects in the Cayetano bailiwick of Taguig City. “We have documented at least two case studies so far. Too many P100 million slope protection and drainage projects totaling P2.085 billion out of the P6.79 billion insertions under the 2025 GAA [General Appropriations Act],” he said in his latest post on X.
The post is only one among a few others that Lacson has published in the past few days targeting his fellow lawmaker. The tweet spree started on July 18, in a post addressing Cayetano’s claim that his net worth doubled in 2025, an accusation that was leveled in the ex-Senate president’s Facebook livestream earlier that day.
“Whatever money I have, I definitely earned legitimately through some real estate deals and other legitimate businesses with 2 other business partners as a private individual, and I paid P10.5 million and P2.8 million respectively as reflected in my ITRs [income tax returns],” Lacson said, before accusing Cayetano of making budget insertions worth P6.79 billion in the 2025 GAA.
The next day, Lacson said that Cayetano “crossed a line” by attacking his integrity. “As of this morning, I’m still counting informants and witnesses, directly or through intermediaries, willing to provide information and evidence to put him in his proper place — the Payatas, Quezon City jail.”
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said on Monday, July 20, that it is probing Lacson’s allegations regarding the ghost projects in Taguig. NBI Director Melvin Matibag pointed out that 11 of the city’s infrastructure projects in 2022 — during which Cayetano served as Taguig-Pateros representative — involved some of the contractors that were previously embroiled in the flood control scandal.
Cayetano ‘Lectured’ on Legal Points
Lacson also commented on Cong. Chel Diokno’s rebuttals against Cayetano during Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial on Monday, July 20, during which Cayetano asserted that Duterte’s financial records from her time as Davao City vice mayor and mayor were irrelevant to the impeachment case.
“I would have to respectfully disagree,” said Diokno, a member of the House prosecution team. “Ang pinag-uusapan po natin kasi dito ay betrayal of public trust, and I think it’s very clear that when we speak of betrayal of public trust, essentially we are looking at whether the public official is fit or unfit to continue in service.”
“I had attended many court trials, especially during my law enforcement days,” Lacson said on X. “I never witnessed a counsel, either for the prosecution or defense lecture a judge on the Constitution, Rules of Court and leading jurisprudence. Awkward and shameful!”
He followed it up with another tweet: “Kapag magagaling ang mga abogado ng prosekusyon at depensa, masarap makinig; ang dami nating natutuhan. Ang problema, kapag may umentra na senator-judge na ‘bopol’, nakakabobo naman. Win some, lose some.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Cayetano claimed that Lacson’s net worth had doubled in 2025. The latter denied it and alleged that Cayetano was responsible for budget insertions worth P6.79 billion in the 2025 GAA.
Lacson has cited slope protection and drainage projects worth P100 million each, totaling P2.085 billion.
Yes, the NBI confirmed the probe on July 20. NBI Director Melvin Matibag said 11 Taguig projects from 2022 involved contractors previously linked to the flood control scandal.
Cayetano called Sara Duterte’s Davao-era financial records irrelevant to the impeachment trial. Diokno disagreed, saying betrayal of public trust hinges on whether an official is fit to serve.
“Bopol” is Filipino slang for dull-witted, a variant of “bobo.” Lacson used it to describe an unnamed senator-judge in the impeachment trial.
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