Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday, Aug. 4, denied allegations that portions of Taguig City's lakeshore involve illegal private reclamation, insisting the area consists of government-owned public parks and accusing Sen. Panfilo "Ping" Lacson of making unfounded claims.

In a Facebook livestream before the resumption of the Senate impeachment court session, Cayetano rejected reports that the national government would seize reclaimed portions of the lakeshore, saying the developments were undertaken by government agencies across multiple administrations.

"Hindi totoo po yung mga marites na nagkakalat na may reclamation daw diyan na private. Yan po ay gobyerno lahat at ginawang series of parks... para lahat sa tao na libre ang paggamit nila (t's not true what the gossipmongers are spreading—that there's a private reclamation project there. The entire area belongs to the government and has been developed into a series of parks for everyone to use free of charge)," Cayetano said.

He also dismissed concerns that residents would lose access to the parks if the issue is investigated.

Cayetano used the livestream to criticize Lacson, referring to him as a "Senator-Judge troll" and accusing him of relying on "hearsay," "vague," and "argumentative" allegations instead of allowing the proper government agencies to investigate.

He said anyone questioning the projects should inspect them personally, arguing that the funding and completed infrastructure are readily verifiable.

The minority leader also defended the lakeshore developments, saying they were carried out through coordination among the barangays, the Taguig city government, and national agencies under the Aquino, Duterte, and Marcos administrations. He added that the area had been protected from syndicates and illegal land grabbers before it was developed into public spaces.

Cayetano further claimed the projects have become a successful public attraction, citing the Christmas Lights Park, which he said draws more than 20,000 visitors nightly during the holiday season.

He also accused Lacson of using his influence over government agencies to advance the investigation but expressed confidence that a thorough review by the Office of the Ombudsman would vindicate the projects.

The remarks came a day after Lacson said his investigation into alleged anomalies in Taguig had expanded beyond questionable infrastructure projects to include what he described as the illegal reclamation of portions of Laguna Lake following a meeting with officials of the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA).

Lacson said discussions with PRA officials validated his team's findings on alleged ghost slope protection projects and unauthorized lakeshore reclamation. He said his office would coordinate with the PRA, the Office of the Ombudsman, the Department of Public Works and Highways, the Laguna Lake Development Authority, and other agencies to pursue criminal charges against those involved and seek the forfeiture of the reclaimed land in favor of the national government.

The senator also alleged that PRA officials corroborated claims that Cayetano used intimidation during the 2025 budget deliberations and that officials conducting site inspections along the C6 lakeshore area experienced physical intimidation.

Lacson's team last week submitted to the Ombudsman evidence from at least five case studies involving allegedly anomalous infrastructure projects in Taguig. He has alleged that the evidence shows Cayetano exercised virtual control over DPWH operations in the city and points to a possible 33-percent kickback scheme in infrastructure projects.