Lacson uncovers double billing in Taguig infra projects, urges accountability

SEN. Panfilo Lacson on Sunday bared fresh evidence pointing to double billing and collection involving infrastructure projects in Taguig City, the bailiwick of Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano.Lacson said one case involved two supposedly different projects that shared the same photo for billing purposes, while another involved a single slope protection project that received two separate budget appropriations."TAGUIG GHOST INFRA PROJECTS UPDATE #4: Two different projects, two distinct appropriations, two different technical descriptions and locations, two different contractors, but sharing the same photo for billing purposes. Status: both billed and collected," Lacson wrote in a social media post, referring to the first case."(The second case involves) One slope protection project, one location, one technical description, two separate budget appropriations. Status: both billed and collected. Are these not criminal acts?" he added.The latest findings add to the growing body of evidence gathered by Lacson and his team on alleged anomalous infrastructure projects in Taguig.Lacson earlier said the evidence has reached the point where it can be described as "Shoot sa kaldero (straight into the cooking pot).""The full details and pieces of evidence will be turned over to the Ombudsman or presented during the Blue Ribbon Committee hearings when called," he said.Lacson also said a person's character and whether he is guilty or innocent are revealed and tested by how he responds when his integrity is attacked.He said those who know they are innocent should not be afraid to defend their integrity and challenge their attacker on even terms."BE NOT AFRAID. When one's integrity is attacked, his character is revealed and tested. The guilty bargains and pleads; the innocent stands his ground and challenges his attacker on even terms," Lacson said on a social media post on Saturday."Be Not Afraid" is the name of the coalition Lacson launched in 2005 to promote accountability and encourage citizens to stand up against corruption.Lacson has fiercely defended his integrity. During the Arroyo administration, he was falsely linked to several instances of wrongdoing - including having fabulous sums in US bank accounts.He disproved the allegations by signing a formal waiver authorizing access to such accounts and challenging his accusers to keep whatever money they found in them.His accusers eventually retracted their claims and apologized, while former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo acknowledged she accused him of various crimes based on false information she received.Earlier this month, Lacson defended his integrity after Cayetano made insinuations about the increase in his net worth.In explaining the legitimate increase in his wealth, Lacson's efforts to defend his integrity also led to the discovery of evidence pointing to anomalous slope protection and drainage projects in Taguig.Lacson stressed that the investigation is driven not by personal conflicts but by the need to exact accountability."This is not about friendship or personal fights; this is about accountability," he said.