Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano and Sen. Panfilo Lacson are again exchanging barbs over social media as tension at the Senate spills online.
MANILA — Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano and Sen. Panfilo Lacson are again exchanging barbs over social media as tension at the Senate spills online.
In a social media post, Cayetano said that Lacson's "so-called fight against the corrupt" only empowers supposed masterminds and the most guilty.
He also said Lacson, who has been looking into alleged irregularities in reclamation projects in Cayetano bailiwick Taguig City, is "[trying] to silence the few voices still standing for the country, the Constitution, and democracy."
Cayetano, who had a short and stormy tenure as Senate president, has in past months likened himself to opposition figure Benigno Aquino Jr. and has described himself as neutral and impartial in the ongoing impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
"Imagine a Ping Lacson truly fighting against corruption, instead of protecting the corrupt," he said as he questioned the senator's motives for investigating projects in Taguig.
The minority leader made the statements in a social media post in reaction to news art card of Lacson saying: "If my fight against corruption intimidates the corrupt, I must be doing something right and good for the country."
Lacson, Cayetano trade fresh barbs over Taguig projects
'PUTTING WORDS IN MY MOUTH'
Lacson earlier Tuesday also disputed Cayetano's claim that he said the impeachment trial should be completed by December.
In a post on X, he called Cayetano's claim "a classic case of putting words into my mouth."
He denied he said, adding he does not have the power and influence to dictate the timeline of the trial.
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Cayetano made the claim on Tuesday after he and his sister Sen. Pia Cayetano raised concerns over alleged threats to the minority bloc.
He refused to say who he believes the threats are coming from, saying only that it is "obvious."
Lacson and his staff have submitted at least 45 case studies of alleged "systemic anomalies" in flood-control infrastructure projects in Taguig City to the Office of the Ombudsman. — RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News