By Ellson Quismorio
Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson has vowed to build a case against Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, saying his colleague crossed the line by questioning his integrity during the ongoing impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Lacson revealed on Sunday, July 19, that he was gathering informants and witnesses to support charges against Cayetano, whom he branded a “disgraced ex-Senate President.”
He said Cayetano’s insinuations about his wealth and net worth were unacceptable, stressing that his integrity is his “first and last line of defense.”
The feud escalated after Cayetano, in a livestream, questioned the sharp increase in Lacson’s declared net worth in his 2025 Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).
Lacson countered that his earnings came from legitimate means during his years outside government, backed by income tax returns filed in 2023 and 2024.
Lacson underscored his long-standing “No-Take” policy as PNP chief, his refusal to accept pork barrel funds as senator, and his rejection of lobby money—contrasting this with Cayetano’s alleged ₱6.79 billion worth of budget insertions in the 2025 General Appropriations Act.
He also accused Cayetano of tolerating “ghost” flood control projects in Taguig City.
“My integrity is my most prized possession. Sen. Cayetano has crossed the line by attacking it,” Lacson said, adding that he intends to put Cayetano “in his proper place—the Payatas jail.”
The Senate impeachment trial resumes Monday, July 20, with both senators serving as judges in the proceedings against Duterte.
