MANILA—Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Thursday that evidence gathered over allegedly illegal reclamation and infrastructure activities in Taguig City has been submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman.

Lacson made the statement in response to Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano’s accusations that the investigation was politically motivated, saying the evidence gathered so far would support the Ombudsman’s ongoing fact-finding investigation.

“Sen. Cayetano can accuse me all he wants of ‘politically motivated’ witch-hunt, fake news and trial by publicity, but I’m sure, he quakes in his shoes each time he sees every piece of evidence that I present each time he resorts to his trademark ‘quack-quack’ on Facebook Live,” he said.

Lacson said he and his staff had already forwarded several pieces of testimonial and documentary evidence to the Ombudsman concerning the reclamation and infrastructure projects in Taguig.

“Marami na kaming naipadala (We have sent many pieces of evidence to the Ombudsman), both testimonial and documentary – all sourced from official records of the Department of Public Works and Highways, Philippine Reclamation Authority, Land Registration Authority, General Appropriations Acts, etc. as advance copies of the pieces of evidence which will definitely help and guide the Ombudsman in issuing their ongoing fact-finding investigation, particularly in issuing subpoenas duces tecum and ad testificandum to the agencies and officials concerned,” he said.

Lacson also reiterated his earlier claim that at least P3.713 billion in public funds may have been wasted on projects along portions of Laguna Lake in Taguig that are subject to government action over allegedly illegal reclamation.

He said the amount does not include other allegedly anomalous slope protection and flood mitigation projects along the Taguig River involving double appropriations and “ghost” projects.

Lacson also hit back at Cayetano in a post on X, saying the senator continued to make accusations while evidence concerning the projects was being presented.

“PATHETIC. Imagine someone ‘quacking’ on FB Live with accusations of politically motivated demolition job, fake news and trial by publicity and at the same time ‘quaking in his boots’ every time each piece of evidence of corruption in his turf unfolds before his eyes,” he added.