Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Wednesday said he would take as a compliment Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano’s descriptions of him as “Chief Justice,” “Prosecutor” and “Department of Justice,” among others – if the labels were coming from someone credible.

Lacson said Cayetano’s attempt to portray him as taking on the roles of investigator and prosecutor may instead be an acknowledgment of his persistence in raising questions and gathering evidence – and in the process, putting those responsible under scrutiny.

In Filipino: Lacson: ‘Prosecutor,’ ‘Chief Justice’ Labels, Papuri Sana Kung Galing sa Taong May Kredibilidad

“IF THIS WERE COMING FROM SOMEONE CREDIBLE, I’D TAKE IT AS A COMPLIMENT: ‘Si Senator Lacson kasi ano na eh, Chief Justice Lacson, Prosecutor Lacson, DOJ Lacson, persecutor Lacson, siya na lahat. Secretary Lacson, siya na nagdidikta eh,’ —Alan Peter Cayetano,” he said in a post on X.

IF THIS WERE COMING FROM SOMEONE CREDIBLE, I’D TAKE IT AS A COMPLIMENT:

“Si Senator Lacson kasi ano na eh, Chief Justice Lacson, Prosecutor Lacson, DOJ Lacson, persecutor Lacson, siya na lahat. Secretary Lacson, siya na nagdidikta eh,”—Alan Peter Cayetano

— PING LACSON (@iampinglacson) September 29, 2026

Cayetano, in his latest livestream Tuesday, complained about Public Works Secretary Vivencio “Vince” Dizon’s clarification that the investigation into some projects in Taguig City is still ongoing, and that the irregularities initially identified remain subject to further validation – and that Dizon should “stand by” his statement last Friday that there were no ghost projects there.

He also claimed Lacson has become “Chief Justice,” “Prosecutor”, “DOJ,” and “persecutor.”

Lacson, for his part, maintained that he simply could not stand idly by in the face of wrongdoing, adding that he continues to be guided by the evidence.

“Hindi ito personalan. Kung may nakita kang anomalya, ipipikit mo ang mata mo (This is not personal. But if you see an anomaly, will you just close your eyes)?” he said in an interview on DZMM radio Tuesday.

Lacson said the anomalies he found in flood control projects last year prompted him to dig deeper, eventually leading him to deliver two privilege speeches detailing what he described as corruption involving projects in Bulacan and Oriental Mindoro.

As chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee at the time, he presided over hearings that uncovered even more pieces of evidence, which in turn led to charges against several personalities.

“Na-cascade ito sa kaso ngayon whether sa Sandiganbayan o Ombudsman. Palagay ko nakatulong ang aking team sa pag-expose ng anomalya sa flood control (These cascaded into cases pending before the Sandiganbayan and Ombudsman. I believe my team helped expose anomalies in flood control),” he said.

In an interview on DZBB radio Monday, Lacson reiterated that he will continue to answer Cayetano’s allegations with the receipts.

Lacson and his team earlier submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman at least 45 case studies backed by official documents detailing what they described as “systemic anomalies” in flood control infrastructure projects in Taguig. The Ombudsman subsequently launched a fact-finding investigation into the allegations.

Also, Lacson and his team submitted to the Ombudsman evidence they have gathered concerning alleged illegal reclamation and infrastructure projects on the Taguig City side of Laguna Lake.

“Ako naman sumasagot lang. Pag nagsasalita siya ang balik ko sa kanya, resibo (I merely reply to him, and when I do, I do so with receipts),” he said.

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Lacson: ‘Prosecutor,’ ‘Chief Justice’ Labels, Papuri Sana Kung Galing sa Taong May Kredibilidad

Ituturing sana ni Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson na papuri ang paglalarawan sa kanya ni Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano bilang “Chief Justice,” “Prosecutor” at “Department of Justice,” at iba pa — kung ang mga ito ay nagmula sa isang may kredibilidad na nilalang.

Ayon kay Lacson, ang pagtatangka ni Cayetano na palabasing ginagampanan niya ang papel ng imbestigador at tagausig ay maaari pa ngang pagkilala sa kanyang pagpupursiging magtanong at mangalap ng ebidensya — at maipasailalim sa pagsisiyasat ang mga responsable.

“IF THIS WERE COMING FROM SOMEONE CREDIBLE, I’D TAKE IT AS A COMPLIMENT: ‘Si Senator Lacson kasi ano na eh, Chief Justice Lacson, Prosecutor Lacson, DOJ Lacson, persecutor Lacson, siya na lahat. Secretary Lacson, siya na nagdidikta eh,’ —Alan Peter Cayetano,” sabi niya sa isang post sa X.

Sa kanyang pinakahuling livestream nitong Martes, inireklamo ni Cayetano ang paglilinaw ni Public Works Secretary Vivencio “Vince” Dizon na nagpapatuloy pa ang imbestigasyon sa ilang proyekto sa Taguig City, at ang mga unang natukoy na iregularidad ay kailangan pang sumailalim sa karagdagang validation—at iginiit na dapat panindigan ni Dizon ang sinabi nito noong Biyernes na walang ghost projects doon.

Iginiit din niya na si Lacson ay naging “Chief Justice,” “Prosecutor,” “DOJ” at “persecutor.”

Samantala, nanindigan si Lacson na hindi niya kayang manahimik sa harap ng maling gawain, at sinabing patuloy siyang ginagabayan ng ebidensya.

“Hindi ito personalan. Kung may nakita kang anomalya, ipipikit mo ang mata mo?” sabi niya sa isang panayam sa DZMM radio nitong Martes.

Sinabi ni Lacson na ang mga anomalya na natuklasan niya sa mga flood control project noong nakaraang taon ang nagtulak sa kanya na magsagawa ng mas malalim na pagsisiyasat, na kalaunan ay humantong sa kanyang paghahatid ng dalawang privilege speech na nagdetalye sa tinawag niyang korapsyon sa mga proyekto sa Bulacan at Oriental Mindoro.

Bilang chairman noon ng Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, pinangunahan niya ang mga pagdinig na nakatuklas ng higit pang ebidensya, na naging daan naman sa pagsasampa ng mga kaso laban sa ilang personalidad.

“Na-cascade ito sa kaso ngayon whether sa Sandiganbayan o Ombudsman. Palagay ko nakatulong ang aking team sa pag-expose ng anomalya sa flood control,” aniya.

Sa isang panayam sa DZBB radio nitong Lunes, muling sinabi ni Lacson na patuloy niyang sasagutin ng mga resibo ang mga alegasyon ni Cayetano.

Nauna nang nagsumite si Lacson at ang kanyang team sa Office of the Ombudsman ng hindi bababa sa 45 case study na suportado ng mga opisyal na dokumento at nagdedetalye sa tinawag nilang “systemic anomalies” sa mga flood control infrastructure project sa Taguig. Kasunod nito, nagsagawa ang Ombudsman ng fact-finding investigation sa mga alegasyon.

Nagsumite rin sina Lacson at ang kanyang team sa Ombudsman ng mga ebidensyang nakalap nila kaugnay ng umano’y ilegal na reclamation at mga infrastructure project sa bahagi ng Laguna Lake na sakop ng Taguig City.

“Ako naman sumasagot lang. Pag nagsasalita siya ang balik ko sa kanya, resibo,” aniya.

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