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Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Saturday claimed that several people had approached him alleging that Senator Panfilo Lacson pressured them in connection with an issue involving Laguna Lake.
Cayetano did not specify the issue, but he and Lacson have been engaged in a public feud since trading corruption allegations in July. Lacson has since alleged that illegal reclamation was taking place on the Taguig City side of Laguna Lake, an area in Cayetano’s political bailiwick.
“Lately, ang daming nag-send ng feelers na, ‘Sen, Kuya Alan, paano yun? Naiipit kami kasi si Senator Lacson pinipilit na may masama kahit walang makita. Tapos natuklasan nga namin na siya, staff niya, ibang kaibigan nilang lawyers, may affidavit na tapos sinusubok. Pinipilit yung iba na sila pumirma. Tapos may pananakot pa,” Cayetano said during a Facebook Live broadcast.
(Lately, a lot of people have been reaching out, saying, “Senator, Kuya Alan, what should we do? We are being pressured because Senator Lacson insists that something is wrong even though nothing has been found. Then we discovered that he, his staff, and some lawyer friends already have an affidavit and are trying to get others to sign it. There are also threats.)
Cayetano declined to elaborate but cited an alleged incident involving six contractors whom Lacson supposedly threatened with plunder charges if they refused to sign a document. He did not identify the document or provide further details about the incident.
“If there is something, then sign. If there is none, why would you sign? Because they are being threatened with consequences. Not everyone has the same courage or stamina or patience or guts to stand up for what is right, especially against very, very high officials, especially in this highly charged atmosphere,” Cayetano said in a mix of English and Filipino.
Cayetano made the allegations during a lengthy discussion on handling difficult situations, in which he urged people to do what is right despite the challenges.
GMA News Online has reached out to Lacson’s office for comment and will update this report once a response is received.
Lacson recently called for a multiagency investigation into the alleged reclamation activities in Taguig City.
“Tuloy-tuloy ang illegal reclamation sa Taguig side ng Laguna Lake. Somebody feels he is above the law,” Lacson said in an October 2 post on X.
(Illegal reclamation on the Taguig side of Laguna Lake continues. Somebody feels he is above the law.) —VBL, GMA News
