Lacson: Plot Thickens, Case Strengthens vs Disgraced Ex-SP Cayetano as More Bagmen Identified in Taguig Ghost Infra Probe

The plot thickens. The list lengthens. The case strengthens. “SHOOT SA KALDERO!”

This was how Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson described on Friday the progress of the investigation into ghost infrastructure projects in Taguig City, the political bailiwick of disgraced ex-Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano – following the identification of more bagmen and other new findings.

“TAGUIG GHOST INFRA PROJECTS UPDATE # 3: Ang daming damning (evidence). The plot thickens. The list lengthens. The case strengthens. Kung merong ‘shoot sa balde’, meron ding SHOOT SA KALDERO,” Lacson said in a post on X.

In Filipino: Lacson: Palalim ang Kuwento, Palakas ang Kaso vs Disgrasyadong Ex-SP Cayetano Matapos Matukoy ang Karagdagang Bagman sa Taguig Ghost Infra Probe

(TAGUIG GHOST INFRA PROJECTS UPDATE # 3: There is so much damning evidence. The plot thickens. The list lengthens. The case strengthens. If there is such a thing as ‘shoot sa balde’, we now have SHOOT SA KALDERO.)


In an interview on DZMM radio, Lacson said their latest findings include the identification of more bagmen for the projects.

He also said the evidence provided by informants so far indicate more than one person could be implicated in the anomalous projects.

“Long story short, if we summarize this, this is a work in progress and the progress seems good. We have uncovered many pieces of evidence and talked to many potential witnesses. So this is not confined to one person – we think there are many others who may be implicated,” he said in English and Filipino in the interview.

Also, Lacson said they have found additional questionable slope protection projects, many of them worth P100 million each, bringing the total value of such projects they have identified to P3.385 billion. Of these, two had the same location and description.

“One project was funded twice. It may not be outright illegal but if payment was collected for both, one is a ghost project. If one was not implemented, where did the P100 million appropriation for it go?” he said.

He said their other findings include defective projects that had overlapping spans that appeared to allow room for kickbacks.

Lacson said he is considering transmitting the evidence to the Ombudsman for faster investigation – and filing of cases with the Ombudsman if the evidence is strong enough.

“If we course it through the Blue Ribbon Committee, there would be a long ‘discussion’ and the resource persons could be harassed,” he said in explaining why he is considering sending the evidence to the Ombudsman directly and no longer through the Blue Ribbon Committee.

Lacson also reiterated that while he is prioritizing the projects in Taguig City after Cayetano attacked his integrity, he and his team are not singling out Taguig.

“We always had the records on questionable projects in Taguig City but we had to initially focus on Bulacan and Occidental Mindoro and other areas. Now that Cayetano attacked my integrity, I instructed my staff to focus on Taguig because Cayetano has been making noise while trying to appear clean while making baseless accusations against me,” he said.

“I am just prioritizing Taguig, not singling it out. And I am prioritizing it after he attacked my integrity,” he added.

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Lacson: Palalim ang Kuwento, Palakas ang Kaso vs Disgrasyadong Ex-SP Cayetano Matapos Matukoy ang Karagdagang Bagman sa Taguig Ghost Infra Probe

Palalim nang palalim ang kuwento, padami nang padami ang ebidensya, at palakas nang palakas ang kaso – kaya “SHOOT SA KALDERO!” ang paglarawan ni Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson sa pag-usad ng imbestigasyon sa ghost infrastructure project sa Taguig City na balwarte ni disgrasyadong ex-Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano.

Ito ay matapos matukoy ang karagdagang mga bagman at madiskubre ang iba pang mga bagong impormasyon, ayon kay Lacson nitong Biyernes.

“TAGUIG GHOST INFRA PROJECTS UPDATE # 3: Ang daming damning (evidence). The plot thickens. The list lengthens. The case strengthens. Kung merong ‘shoot sa balde’, meron ding SHOOT SA KALDERO,” ani Lacson sa kanyang post sa X.

Sa panayam sa DZMM radio, sinabi ni Lacson na kabilang sa kanilang pinakabagong mga natuklasan ang pagkakakilanlan sa marami pang bagman na sangkot sa mga proyekto.

Dagdag niya, ang mga ebidensiyang ibinigay ng mga impormante sa ngayon ay nagpapakita na higit sa isang tao ang posibleng masangkot sa mga maanomalyang proyekto.

“Long story short, kung isa-summarize natin, this is a work in progress at maganda ang progress as far as our own investigation is concerned. Sabi ko nga, the plot thickens at ang kaso lumalakas kasi marami kaming nakakalkal at may mga nakausap kaming posibleng mga testigo. So hindi lang confined sa isang tao. Sa tingin namin maraming ibang masasangkot na individuals pa tungkol dito,” aniya.

Sinabi rin ni Lacson na nakatuklas pa sila ng mga karagdagang kuwestiyonableng slope protection project, marami sa mga ito ay nagkakahalaga ng tig-P100 milyon, na nagdala sa kabuuang halaga ng mga natukoy nilang naturang proyekto sa P3.385 bilyon. Dalawa sa mga ito ang may magkaparehong lokasyon at paglalarawan.

“Ibig sabihin, one project, dalawang beses pondohan. Does it make it outright illegal? Probably not. Pero pansinin ko ang ngayon ang documentation … Pag parehong nadeklara at nakasingil yan, ghost ang isa. Pero kung hindi na implemented ang isa doon kasi doble, walang problema kasi na-correct. Pero saan napunta ang P100M na yan?” aniya.

Ayon pa kay Lacson, kabilang din sa iba pa nilang natuklasan ang mga depektibong proyekto na may overlapping spans, na lumilitaw na nagbigay ng puwang para sa mga kickback.

Sinabi ni Lacson na pinag-iisipan niyang isumite ang mga ebidensiya sa Ombudsman upang mapabilis ang imbestigasyon, at ang pagsasampa ng mga kaso roon kung mapatutunayang sapat ang lakas ng mga ebidensiya.

“Kung idadaan sa Blue Ribbon, medyo may baletaktakan pa diyan, baka ma-harass ang resource persons na mag-attend,” aniya, bilang paliwanag kung bakit pinag-iisipan niyang direktang isumite ang mga ebidensiya sa Ombudsman sa halip na idaan pa sa Blue Ribbon Committee.

Muli ring iginiit ni Lacson na bagama’t inuuna niya sa ngayon ang mga proyekto sa Taguig City matapos atakehin ni Cayetano ang kanyang integridad, hindi nila isinasantabi ang ibang lugar.

“Nandiyan ang records ng Taguig. Hindi namin na-prioritize kasi natunton ang aming pansin sa Bulacan at Occidental Mindoro at ibang lugar. Pero nandiyan sa vault file namin yan. Ngayong nagingay siya ng nagingay sabi ko sa staff ko hanapin nyo sa Taguig kasi ang ingay nito nagmamalinis tapos nagbibintang ng kung anu anong di totoo,” aniya.

“Prioritize ko lang, di ko sini-single out. Prioritize ko dahil sa ingay niya,” dagdag niya.

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