Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said on Monday, July 20 that disgraced former Senate president Alan Peter Cayetano is clearly using “squid tactics” to distract the public from the corruption issues hounding him.

Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson (Photo from OS Lacson)

But such schemes may not save him from the “logical conclusion” that awaits him, according to Lacson.

According to the former national police chief, he continues to gather evidence against Cayetano with the help of informants and witnesses, which he may present before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, chaired by Sen. Erwin Tulfo.

The senator also said he might disclose these information in a privilege speech or transmit the evidences to the Ombudsman for the filing of appropriate charges.

“That's how he is. When he faces an issue, he will drop names of those close to the administration, or resort to name-calling, to muddle the issue. That's called squid tactics - try to muddle the issue and hope he can get away. That's his technique and pattern up to now,” Lacson said in English and Filipino in an interview on True FM.

Such pattern, the lawmaker noted, could also be seen in other controversies involving Cayetano, such as the anomalies in the preparations for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games which he chaired.

Lacson said Cayetano's latest squid tactics included linking allegations of corruption against him to the ongoing impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio - after Lacson said he is looking into Cayetano's P6.79-billion in budget insertions in the 2025 budget, along with 25% kickbacks in slope protection and other infrastructure projects.

He also noted that out of Cayetano's P6.79-billion budget insertions under the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA), 68 out of the 70 projects were implemented - with two projects involving P75-million unreleased or unobligated.

“Again, squid tactics. This is not an issue of impeachment. This is an issue of corruption,” Lacson said.

“He asked for it, I’ll give it to him,” he added, when asked about his focus on anomalous flood control projects in Taguig City.

Lacson also rejected Cayetano's claim that he and Sen. Erwin Tulfo were acting on orders of Malacañang, describing it as another attempt to divert attention from the real issue.

He said Cayetano is clearly pointing fingers and sowing intrigues “so we will fight each other.”

“I don't want to dignify his nonsense because we will deviate from the issue,” he said.

“As for the flood control projects, I have talked to Blue Ribbon Chairman Erwin Tulfo. I will furnish him the documents and lists of possible resource persons who can be invited to hearings,” he added.

Lacson recalled how Cayetano resorted to similar attacks when he questioned the transfer of at least P1-billion in government funds to a private foundation Cayetano chaired, for the hosting of the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games - which could draw comparisons to the 2013 Napoles pork barrel scam.

Also, he noted how Cayetano reacted immediately after National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) director Melvin Matibag announced an investigation into the matter even though he did not name names yet.

“When Matibag mentioned the investigation yet did not name names, he reacted. What does that make of him?” he said.

Nevertheless, he said Cayetano's attack on his integrity will fuel his extra efforts to pursue the case to its logical conclusion.

The initial findings of his office so far include projects involving firms owned by the Discayas in 2019, when Cayetano was the House Speaker.

In some of the defective projects, some had overlapping spans that would allow kickbacks. There were also attemps to “repair” some of the supposed ghost projects.

Cayetano's brother Lino has volunteered to be one of the witnesses, having contacted him through an intermediary, Lacson said.

“We will look into those to show there are ghost projects in Taguig,” he said.

“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.

“I will not accept that he would attack my integrity, which I have nurtured throughout my career for more than 50 years,” he added.