Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson pushed back Wednesday against Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano’s call for an inquiry into his background, maintaining that his ongoing probes into anomalous infrastructure deals stem from a single motive: uprooting systemic corruption.
Lacson issued the statement after Cayetano said Tuesday that the senator should be investigated “at the proper time” and suggested that Lacson had become emboldened to pursue probes because of his ties with officials currently in power.
The public exchange flared up following Lacson’s allegations that questionable infrastructure works in Taguig City extended beyond flawed slope protection structures to include the unauthorized reclamation of portions of Laguna Lake.
According to Lacson, the reclaimed Lakeshore zone ought to be forfeited and turned over directly to the national government.
Cayetano rejected the claims during a Facebook Live broadcast Tuesday afternoon, countering that Lacson’s legislative inquiries were swayed by political alignment with key administration figures.
Lacson rejected the insinuation, stressing that he has consistently exposed corruption and other forms of wrongdoing regardless of who was in power.
Pointing to his background as a former chief of law enforcement, Lacson noted that he maintained an unyielding position against illegal gambling rings and regularly turned down bribes and hush money, even when taking that stand pitted him against powerful political figures.
Recalling his initial terms in the Senate, Lacson said he was accused by the Arroyo administration of various offenses, including allegedly maintaining large sums in United States bank accounts.
At the time, he challenged his accusers to inspect the alleged offshore accounts and confiscate any funds they managed to uncover.
Lacson said no funds were uncovered, the allegations were later shown to be baseless, and those who made the accusations eventually retracted their claims.