Metro Manila, Philippines – Senator Ping Lacson bared at least two case studies of alleged flood control ghost projects in Taguig City – a political stronghold of the Cayetanos – in his word war with Senator Alan Cayetano.
“We have documented at least 2 case studies so far. Too many ₱100M slope protection and drainage projects totaling ₱2.085B out of the ₱6.79B insertions under the 2025 GAA [General Appropriations Act],” Lacson said in a post on X on Wednesday, July 22, referencing an investigation by his team.
Lacson was referring to the alleged ₱6.79 billion in budget insertions that Cayetano added to the 2025 GAA. He said that under this insertion, 68 out of 70 were implemented while the remaining two projects worth ₱75 million were unreleased or unobligated.
Ghost projects are classified as budget items that were fully paid but non-existent.
“There is no turning back!” Lacson said.
Over the weekend, Cayetano questioned Lacson’s integrity, accusing him of bending the law and accused him of corruption, saying that his net worth doubled in 2025.
In response, the former national police chief-turned-lawmaker said he was gathering informants and witnesses to supplement his investigation into the alleged Taguig ghost projects, adding that Cayetano’s proper place is in a Quezon City jail. He also attributed the increase in his net worth to real estate deals and private business interests.
READ: Alan Cayetano’s proper place is in QC jail – Lacson
In a statement on Wednesday, Lacson raised his team’s earlier findings that some of the alleged Taguig ghost projects linked to firms owned by the Discayas – the husband-and-wife business duo flagged for their alleged involvement in the massive flood control scandal – but implemented by other contractors.
Lacson also mentioned that other alleged ghost projects were contracted under Topnotch Catalyst Builders, one of the top 15 entities President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier named for their large role in the flood control scheme.
According to Lacson, these projects dated back to 2019 and 2020, when Cayetano was Speaker of the House.
In a series of Facebook livestreams, Cayetano has repeatedly denied that there are such projects in the city. He also dared Lacson to continue investigating these alleged projects.
“Cayetano asked for it, I’ll give it to him. I will pursue this to its logical conclusion. I will not ‘invent’ or ‘fabricate’ evidence but because of his attack on my integrity, I will exert extra effort to find those pieces of evidence, documentary or testimonial,” Lacson said.
