The impunity that has accompanied unabated and illegal reclamation operations disguised as flood control and mitigation projects in the Taguig side of Laguna Lake for several years must end and give way to justice and accountability, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Friday.
Lacson said the operations had been allowed to continue despite questions over their legality and effectiveness in addressing flooding, while power and influence were used to harass officials of the agencies tasked to protect Laguna Lake.
“The Cayetanos have disguised these unabated and illegal reclamation operations in the Taguig side of Laguna Lake as flood control and mitigation projects for several years now, using their power and influence to harass officials of the Philippine Reclamation Authority, Laguna Lake Development Authority and other agencies tasked to protect the lake,” he said.
In Filipino: Lacson: Tapusin ang Impunity sa Illegal Reclamation Ops sa Taguig; Panahon na para sa Hustisya at Pananagutan
He added that based on his team’s latest count, the number of “grossly anomalous flood control projects” in the area have reached 32 and is still counting.
In a post on X Friday morning, Lacson cited a report on “24 Oras” showing the investigation into questionable projects in the Taguig portion of Laguna Lake began in late 2025, after it was discovered that the city government failed to coordinate with concerned agencies and comply with other procedures – and ex-Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano had harassed officials of the PRA while the probe was ongoing.
“Exposed! Impunity has its own limits. Maybe it’s time for justice and accountability to take over,” said Lacson, who earned a reputation for his anti-corruption advocacy.
The report showed that as early as October 2025, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) had flagged flood control projects in Taguig City that did not help address the flooding problem.
It said tarpaulins at the sites of two projects showed they were being implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). One project in Barangay Lower Bicutan listed Topnotch Catalyst Builders Inc. as its contractor and had a cost of P94,047,204.22, funded under the 2025 General Appropriations Act.
At the Lakeshore Complex reclamation site, a tarpaulin showed a multipurpose building project costing P49,901,230.48. At an adjacent reclamation site, another tarpaulin indicated a project for the “improvement of Laguna Lakeshore area,” with Topnotch Catalyst Builders as the contractor, and with a cost of P94,066,688.38.
Two other projects in the Taguig portion of Laguna Lake involved the rehabilitation of flood mitigation structures, one at Phase 4 and the other at Phase 5. Both had Dahl Construction Corp. as contractor, and a similar cost of P141,854,714.79 for Phase 4 and P141,854,617.45 for Phase 5.
The LLDA said the Taguig City government did not coordinate with it on the projects. LLDA general manager Leopoldo Parumog said a public consultation and the needed certificates are needed before any construction can begin in the area.
Lacson recalled that PRA officials who met with him and his staff earlier this week revealed that Cayetano harassed their colleagues during deliberations for the 2026 budget last November.
“That’s why Cayetano harassed the PRA officials during the November 2025 budget plenary deliberations of the Office of the President, PRA being under the OP. That’s as revealed to us by the PRA officials when we met with them early this week,” he said.
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Lacson: Tapusin ang Impunity sa Illegal Reclamation Ops sa Taguig; Panahon na para sa Hustisya at Pananagutan
Dapat nang wakasan ang impunity na kaakibat ng tuluy-tuloy at ilegal na reclamation operations na ilang taon nang itinatago bilang mga flood control at mitigation project sa bahagi ng Laguna Lake na sakop ng Taguig – at bigyang-daan ang hustisya at pananagutan, ayon kay Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Biyernes.
Ani Lacson, pinayagang magpatuloy ang mga operasyon sa kabila ng mga tanong hinggil sa legalidad ng mga ito at sa pagiging epektibo ng mga ito sa pagtugon sa pagbaha, habang ginamit naman ang kapangyarihan at impluwensiya upang i-harass ang mga opisyal ng mga ahensiyang inatasang pangalagaan ang Laguna Lake.
“The Cayetanos have disguised these unabated and illegal reclamation operations in the Taguig side of Laguna Lake as flood control and mitigation projects for several years now, using their power and influence to harass officials of the Philippine Reclamation Authority, Laguna Lake Development Authority and other agencies tasked to protect the lake,” diin ni Lacson.
Dagdag niya, batay sa pinakahuling bilang ng kanyang team, umabot na sa 32 at patuloy pang nadaragdagan ang bilang ng mga “grossly anomalous flood control projects” sa lugar.
Sa isang post sa X nitong Biyernes ng umaga, binanggit ni Lacson ang isang ulat ng “24 Oras” na nagpapakitang nagsimula noong huling bahagi ng 2025 ang imbestigasyon sa mga kuwestiyonableng proyekto sa bahagi ng Laguna Lake na sakop ng Taguig, matapos matuklasan na hindi nakipag-ugnayan ang city government sa mga kinauukulang ahensiya at hindi sumunod sa iba pang proseso — at hinarass ni ex-Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano ang mga opisyal ng PRA habang isinasagawa ang imbestigasyon.
“Exposed! Impunity has its own limits. Maybe it’s time for justice and accountability to take over,” ani Lacson, na nakilala dahil sa kanyang adbokasiya laban sa korapsyon.
Ipinakita sa ulat ng “24 Oras” na noong Oktubre 2025 pa, na-flag na ng Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) ang mga flood control project sa Taguig City na hindi nakatulong sa pagtugon sa problema sa pagbaha.
Ayon sa ulat, ipinakita ng mga tarpaulin sa mga lugar ng dalawang proyekto na ipinatutupad ang mga ito ng Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Isa sa mga proyekto sa Barangay Lower Bicutan ay nakalistang may Topnotch Catalyst Builders Inc. bilang contractor at nagkakahalaga ng P94,047,204.22, na pinondohan sa ilalim ng 2025 General Appropriations Act.
Sa Lakeshore Complex reclamation site, nakasaad sa isang tarpaulin ang isang multipurpose building project na nagkakahalaga ng P49,901,230.48. Sa katabing reclamation site, nakasaad naman sa isa pang tarpaulin ang isang proyekto para sa “improvement of Laguna Lakeshore area,” kung saan Topnotch Catalyst Builders ang contractor at nagkakahalaga ng P94,066,688.38.
Dalawa pang proyekto sa bahagi ng Laguna Lake na sakop ng Taguig ang para sa rehabilitation ng flood mitigation structures, isa sa Phase 4 at isa sa Phase 5. Parehong Dahl Construction Corp. ang contractor, at halos magkasinghalaga ang mga ito: P141,854,714.79 para sa Phase 4 at P141,854,617.45 para sa Phase 5.
Sinabi ng LLDA na hindi nakipag-ugnayan dito ang Taguig City government tungkol sa mga proyekto. Sinabi ni LLDA General Manager Leopoldo Parumog na kailangan ang public consultation at mga kinakailangang certificate bago maaaring magsimula ang anumang konstruksyon sa lugar.
Nabanggit ni Lacson na isiniwalat sa kanya at sa kanyang staff ng mga opisyal ng PRA na nakipagpulong sa kanila nitong unang bahagi ng linggo na hinarass ni Cayetano ang kanilang mga kasamahan noong deliberasyon para sa 2026 budget noong Nobyembre.
“That’s why Cayetano harassed the PRA officials during the November 2025 budget plenary deliberations of the Office of the President, PRA being under the OP. That’s as revealed to us by the PRA officials when we met with them early this week,” aniya.
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