AMID a raging word war, Senator Panfilo Lacson assailed what he aptly referred to as “modus” embarking on double collection for a singular infrastructure project in Taguig City, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano’s bailiwick.
In a social media post, Lacson particularly two supposedly different projects that shared the same photo for billing purposes, while another involved a single slope protection project that received two separate budget appropriations.
“Two different projects, two distinct appropriations, two different technical descriptions and locations, two different contractors, but sharing the same photo for billing purposes. Status: both billed and collected,” reads Lacson post on X (formerly Twitter).
“[The second case involves] One slope protection project, one location, one technical description, two separate budget appropriations. Status: both billed and collected,” he added.
“Are these not criminal acts?”
According to Lacson, who served as national police chief prior to his stint as senator, the latest findings in itself is an indication of another graft discovered by no less than his team who he asked to dig deeper into the anomalies in Cayetano’s turf.
“The full details and pieces of evidence will be turned over to the Ombudsman or presented during the Blue-Ribbon committee hearings when called,” Lacson added.
Lacson earlier said that the anomalous infrastructure projects investigation in Taguig City will have a “logical conclusion,” adding that they would continue to uncover the truth, and hold Cayetano accountable.
He however clarified that uncovering anomalies has nothing to do with his personal grudge towards Cayetano, “but by the need to ensure accountability.”
“This is not about friendship or personal fights, this is about accountability. If there is no accountability, why would I push through with the investigation.”
“If it’s a series of acts and then P50 million [is involved], the only way it could go is plunder. There’s no other way to go but to file plunder charges,” Lacson said in a mix of English and Filipino.
Cayetano, for his part, insisted that the allegations of ghost infrastructure projects in Taguig are “too generalized.”
“The allegations are general… I will continue to wait kung ano ang specific allegation, and haharapin ko iyon.”
