Photo courtesy of Ping Lacson/Facebook.
Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said Tuesday that his investigation into alleged anomalous infrastructure projects in Taguig City had expanded to include suspected illegal reclamation activities along Laguna Lake.
Lacson said he would push for the forfeiture of reclaimed lakeshore areas in favor of the government if authorities found that the projects were undertaken without proper permits.
He said the new angle emerged after a meeting with officials of the Philippine Reclamation Authority, who discussed possible links between questionable slope protection projects and reclamation work in Taguig.
Lacson said his office would coordinate with the PRA, Department of Public Works and Highways, Laguna Lake Development Authority, Office of the Ombudsman and other agencies involved in the inquiry.
The senator said the investigation would seek to identify those behind the alleged anomalies, pursue possible criminal liability and recover unlawfully reclaimed areas.
He earlier alleged that some lakeshore developments lacked clearances from agencies such as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and that funds intended for slope protection may have been diverted to reclamation activities.
Lacson also said PRA officials had reported harassment and intimidation during budget deliberations and site inspections near the C6 lakeshore area. The claims have yet to be independently verified or tested in court.
Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano denied knowledge of ghost projects in Taguig and invited Lacson to inspect the city’s infrastructure. Cayetano had yet to respond to the latest allegations involving reclamation.
