Lacson slams Cayetano siblings over LLDA budget hearing tactics

MANILA — Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson launched a public rebuke of the Cayetano siblings on Tuesday, accusing them of coordinated questioning tactics during a Senate hearing on the Laguna Lake Development Authority's proposed budget for 2027.

In a statement released following the hearing, Lacson alleged that Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano and his sister, Senator Pia Cayetano, focused their inquiries on acting LLDA General Manager Leopoldo in what he characterized as a coordinated effort.

The exchange underscores ongoing tensions within the Senate as lawmakers debate funding allocations for key infrastructure and environmental management bodies ahead of the 2027 fiscal year. The LLDA, which oversees the management and development of Laguna de Bay and its surrounding areas, has faced scrutiny over budgetary matters in recent legislative sessions.

Lacson's criticism reflects broader disagreements between Senate factions on how government agencies should be funded and monitored, with the contentious hearing becoming emblematic of larger divisions within the chamber during budget deliberations.