The “ghost hunt” that Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano mocked has turned up numerous suspected “ghost” slope protection and flood mitigation projects along the Taguig River that the Office of the Ombudsman is now investigating, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Saturday.
Lacson noted Cayetano’s latest social media post insinuating that the investigation into anomalous projects in Taguig was a “ghost hunt” was “true” – but not in the way Cayetano meant it.
“True. Ang dami palang ‘multo’ na slope protection and flood mitigation projects along Taguig River. The Ombudsman is now investigating. The illegal reclamation is a separate case that they are also looking into, pero hinarang sila ng taga city hall kaya pinahuli sa SAF kahapon,” he said in a post on X.
Cayetano, in his latest livestream Friday, had likened Lacson’s efforts to probe anomalous infrastructure in Taguig to “naghahanap ng multo (a ghost hunt).”
Earlier, Lacson and his staff turned over to the Ombudsman several pieces of evidence they have gathered so far on the illegal reclamation and infrastructure projects in Taguig City.
The evidence covers “illegal” reclamation on the Taguig side of Laguna Lake, as well as other anomalous slope protection and flood mitigation projects along Taguig River involving double appropriations and “ghost” projects.
Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said his office has started to look into the allegations of corruption in infrastructure projects in Taguig City.
On Friday, Lacson cited information showing Taguig City government personnel were arrested by police after they tried to prevent Office of the Ombudsman investigators in Taguig City.
He described the arrest as “Astang astig, nakakita ng katapat (trying to act tough then meeting their match).”
Friday’s incident was not the first reported case of harassment. Lacson had earlier cited reports that officials of agencies, including the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA), had been harassed while taking action on reclamation activities in the area.#
