SENATOR Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said on Sunday, July 19, 2026, that individuals have approached him claiming to possess information and evidence against Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, amid the National Bureau of Investigation’s (NBI) move to reopen the investigation into alleged funding anomalies in the Philippines’ hosting of the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.
In a statement, Lacson said he has been receiving information from informants and witnesses, either directly or through intermediaries, who are willing to provide evidence that he believes could eventually lead to criminal charges against Cayetano.
Lacson issued the statement after Cayetano made remarks that he viewed as an attack on his integrity. He said the matter had become personal and that he would defend his reputation “with all my might.”
“My integrity is my first and last line of defense and I will fight to defend it with all my might. Senator Cayetano has crossed the line by attacking it,” Lacson said.
“As of this morning, I’m still counting informants and witnesses, directly or through intermediaries, willing to provide information and evidence to put him in his proper place — the Payatas, QC jail,” he added.
According to Lacson, integrity has been the cornerstone of his decades in public service, both as a former Philippine National Police chief and as a lawmaker.
He maintained that throughout his career he rejected bribes, reward money, pork barrel allocations and lobbying efforts.
On Saturday, July 18, Cayetano, in a Facebook Live broadcast, questioned the “significant increase” in Lacson’s declared net worth based on his Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) from 2022 to 2025.
In response, Lacson said his wealth increased while he was out of government after leaving the Senate in 2022, attributing it to legitimate real estate transactions and private business ventures with partners.
He added that the earnings were reflected in his income tax returns and that he paid the corresponding taxes.
Lacson also renewed his allegations that Cayetano benefited from billions of pesos in budget insertions under the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) and claimed there were ghost flood-control projects in Taguig City, Cayetano’s political bailiwick.
He further alleged that a Taguig City engineer had incurred massive gambling losses in Metro Manila casinos, adding that his camp would continue gathering information.
“Unlike Sen. Cayetano with P6.79 billion in budget insertions under the 2025 GAA, I have had no insertions, a.k.a. pork barrel, since I became a senator. I also do not have a 25 percent kickback for slope protection and other infrastructure projects. I don’t know about him, but I have consistently refused lobby monies in relation to my job as a legislator,” Lacson said.
“Out of his P6.79 billion budget insertions under the 2025 GAA, 68 out of the 70 projects were implemented. So only two projects, equivalent to around P75 million, remain unreleased or unobligated. In short, a total of P6.715 billion was spent. While you do the math, we will keep digging,” he added.
Lacson recalled that during the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, he faced accusations of unexplained wealth and links to illegal drugs, allegations that eventually collapsed after his accusers retracted their claims and apologized.
He said those experiences reinforced his resolve to protect what he considers his most valuable asset — his integrity.
“I’ve tasted power and I know how to handle power through personal experience. Hindi ako abusado at hindi ako corrupt na government official (I am not abusive and I am not a corrupt government official),” Lacson said.
Earlier this week, NBI Director Melvin Matibag said the agency would reopen its probe into alleged irregularities related to the country’s hosting of the 2019 SEA Games.
Cayetano said the timing of the NBI investigation appeared intended to intimidate him as a senator-judge in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Matibag denied the accusation and expressed surprise that Cayetano felt alluded to by the probe.
“It’s surprising because when we said we would be investigating this (2019 SEA Games), why did Senator Cayetano react that way when his name is not here? Officially, based on SEC records, his name does not appear in the documents,” Matibag said.
Matibag is set to be presented as a prosecution witness in Duterte’s impeachment trial in connection with allegations of grave threats and inciting to sedition. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)