Lacson: P3.7B 'wasted' on 'illegal' Taguig reclamation projects

The feud between Senators Panfilo Lacson and Alan Peter Cayetano over allegedly illegal reclamation projects on the Taguig side of Laguna Lake has continued, with Lacson claiming that at least P3.713 billion in public funds has been wasted on related projects.

In a post on X, Lacson said his team would submit its latest findings on the alleged anomalous projects to the Office of the Ombudsman’s fact-finding team for appropriate action.

“Based on official records and our investigation, the total cost of identified completed, ongoing (and suspended) DPWH flood control and multi-purpose projects along the ‘illegal’ Laguna Lakeshore reclamation areas in Taguig City has so far reached P3.713 billion,” he said.

“These do not include other anomalous slope protection and flood mitigation projects along Taguig River involving double appropriations and ‘ghost’ projects using recycled photographs in different ‘completed’ projects, for billing purposes,” he added.

Lacson said four parcels of allegedly illegally reclaimed land in Taguig City were initially identified as covered by “fraudulently” issued land titles.

He said the details of the four parcels were as follows:

• one covered by an administrative patent, involving 9,204 square meters under an Original Certificate of Title (OCT);
• one covered through judicial/ordinary land registration processing, involving 5,000 square meters under an OCT;
• one covered by a homestead patent, involving 181,077 square meters under a Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT); and
• one involving 193,027 square meters under a TCT.

According to Lacson, the top five contractors involved in projects worth a combined P2.372 billion were:

• Dahl Construction: P858.22 million covering five solo projects worth P571.5 million and four joint ventures totaling P286.7 million;
• J.C. Uyecio: P483.1 million covering four joint ventures;
• Toughbuilt: P434.2 million covering three solo projects;
• Topnotch: P329.9 million covering two joint ventures with Core Check and one with Beam Team; and
• GR Fervidal: P266.6 million covering five solo multi-purpose building projects.

For his part, Senate Minority Leader Cayetano appeared to downplay Lacson’s claims, saying the government could even “gain” if allegations that properties along Laguna Lake in Taguig City were illegally titled are proven true.

He referred to a newspaper report claiming that 181,000 square meters, or 18 hectares, of land had been “illegally titled.”

"Sa isang banda po, nagho-hope din kami na totoo iyon. Bakit? Kasi kung totoong ilegal iyon, sa gobyerno iyon [mapupunta]. Edi may 18 hectares tayo ngayon para sa gobyerno,” he said at an event on Sunday.

(On the one hand, we also hope that it is true. Why? Because if it is really illegal, it will go to the government. Then the government would have 18 hectares of land.)

Cayetano also welcomed the investigation into the land titles, saying his wife, Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano, also wanted the properties examined.

He likewise continued to deny allegations that he was involved in land grabbing, particularly those involving The Lakeshore Tent.

“Iyon ang pinapalabas na illegal reclamation at pinapalabas na kinakamkam ko rin daw po ‘yung iba para sa aking sarili. Pero ang blessing po ay marami kasing gumagamit at alam naman po na hindi amin iyon,” Cayetano said.

(That is being portrayed as illegal reclamation, and they are alleging that I also grabbed other areas for myself. But the blessing is that many people use it, and they know that it does not belong to us.)— MCG, GMA News