By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA, Philippines — A fresh war of words erupted Tuesday between Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano and Senator Panfilo Lacson, with both lawmakers exchanging sharp accusations over the controversial Senate investigation into the country’s flood control projects.
Speaking during a Facebook Live broadcast, Cayetano defended the minority bloc’s push to reopen the Senate inquiry, arguing that the previous investigation failed to summon several government officials whose names surfaced during testimony.
According to Cayetano, the inquiry left critical questions unanswered and overlooked personalities allegedly linked to the controversy. He claimed that instead of compelling those officials to appear before the committee, Lacson effectively defended them during the hearings.
The former Senate president also referred to allegations made by individuals identified as associates of former congressman Zaldy Co, who claimed they had delivered cash-filled suitcases to several government officials. Cayetano maintained that these allegations deserved a more exhaustive investigation.
He further accused Lacson of abandoning what could have been a defining anti-corruption campaign, alleging that political considerations derailed the investigation and prevented it from reaching its intended targets.
Cayetano likewise questioned why the Senate inquiry allegedly avoided scrutinizing officials connected to Malacañang, claiming the Blue Ribbon Committee had been used to steer the investigation away from sensitive areas instead of uncovering the full truth.
Lacson quickly dismissed the accusations.
In a Viber message, the veteran lawmaker brushed aside Cayetano’s remarks, saying the minority leader remained unable to accept the political changes inside the Senate. Lacson mocked Cayetano’s continued criticism, suggesting he was “stuck in a time warp.”
The exchange comes amid continuing tensions following the dramatic leadership changes in the Senate earlier this year.
Lacson lost the chairmanship of the Blue Ribbon Committee after the Senate leadership changed in May. However, Cayetano’s own tenure as Senate president proved short-lived after fellow senators voted to replace him with Sherwin Gatchalian in June.
Following Cayetano’s removal, Lacson publicly blamed the former Senate leader for weeks of political instability inside the chamber, claiming that the leadership turmoil disrupted Senate operations and resulted in hundreds of millions of pesos in wasted public funds.
Lacson also cited the chamber’s paralysis during the period marked by internal conflict, security concerns, and the controversial departure of Senator Ronald dela Rosa from the Senate premises.
Cayetano, however, fired back by accusing Lacson of influencing the new leadership of the Blue Ribbon Committee through its current chairman, Senator Erwin Tulfo, branding him as Lacson’s “lapdog.”
The latest confrontation underscores the deepening divisions within the Senate, where political rivalries continue to spill into public view even as lawmakers face mounting pressure to address corruption allegations surrounding billions of pesos allocated for flood control projects.
ia/xf
