The subject of the ongoing spat between senators Alan Peter Cayetano and Panfilo “Ping” Lacson — Taguig’s “ghost projects” — found its way to the Senate hearing on the proposed 2027 budget of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), where the Cayetano senator-siblings subjected the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) representative to intense questioning.
During the budget hearing of the DENR, which oversees the LLDA, Alan and his sister, Senator Pia Cayetano, took turns grilling LLDA Acting General Manager Leopoldo Parumog over what they alleged to be his “special interest” in Taguig City, the Cayetanos’ baliwick.
At the October 19 budget hearing, the Cayetanos questioned Parumog over the LLDA’s inspection of projects along Laguna de Bay, accusing him of singling out Taguig City by publicly disclosing their investigations into the reclamation projects. Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano is Alan’s wife.
“Why do you make it appear in public that a lot of bad things are happening in Taguig? And if you don’t — if that is not the intention, then why publicize for Taguig and you don’t publicize your work in other places?” asked Pia.
According to Alan, while the LLDA issued cease-and-desist orders against projects in Angono, Rizal, and Muntinlupa City these were not publicized.
Parumog denied that the LLDA’s actions on Taguig projects were politically motivated.
“There is no politics involved. We are not selective and we act on everything,” Parumog said in Filipino.
The Cayetano siblings’ questioning did not sit well with Lacson, who called them out for turning the budget deliberations into a “full-blown” Senate investigation.
“They took turns interrogating the hapless LLDA general manager with questions totally unrelated to the agency’s proposed 2027 budget as if it were a full-blown Senate inquiry in aid of legislation,” Lacson said in a statement on Tuesday, October 20.
The latest clash adds another layer to the feud between Lacson and Alan, which began in July when Lacson questioned the increase in the minority leader’s declared net worth in 2025.
The dispute has since intersected with allegations of irregularities in flood control projects in Taguig, with Lacson — former Senate blue Ribbon committee chairperson — turning over to the Ombudsman the evidence the panel had gathered on the alleged anomalies.
This is not the first time an individual was caught in the crossfire between the two senators.
In September, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon found himself in a similar situation after he denied in a Senate budget hearing that there were ghost projects in Taguig City.
Lacson had previously said his team identified at least 32 allegedly anomalous flood control projects in Taguig, two of which were considered as ghost projects.
After his denial, Lacson said Dizon apologized for his remarks. – Rappler.com