Cayetanos slam LLDA for ‘special interest’ in Taguig projects

MANILA, Philippines — Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano and his sister, Sen. Pia Cayetano, scrutinized the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) on Monday over its supposed focus on inspecting projects in Taguig City.

The senators pointed out the LLDA’s seemingly “special interest” in Taguig City, led by Sen. Alan’s wife, Mayor Lani Cayetano, despite the agency’s jurisdiction over the Calabarzon region and other places in Metro Manila, such as Muntinlupa City.

Sen. Alan asked LLDA Acting General Manager Leopoldo Parumog about the agency’s inspections of developments along the Laguna de Bay shoreline.

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According to Parumog, cease-and-desist orders (CDOs) had been issued for developments in Muntinlupa, Angono, Rizal, and Taguig. But the senator questioned why there was media coverage when a CDO board was placed at a reclamation project in Taguig, unlike in the other projects.

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“I didn’t call the media,” Parumog said, explaining that the visit was led by the Office of the Ombudsman and the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA).

READ: DPWH halts alleged illegal reclamation projects in Taguig

The senator then asked about a supposed 50-hectare property in Taytay, Rizal, that the LLDA had investigated.

When Parumog failed to respond, LLDA support staff member Atty. Marian Soriano said they were not privy to the details of the case.

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“How come you three aren’t privy to that land? You said you weren’t just looking at Taguig. What happened to that land in Taytay? You filed a lawsuit with the LLDA. Why don’t you know?” the lawmaker asked.

Later, Sen. Pia flagged the LLDA’s social media platform for sharing updates only on its inspections in Taguig.

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“Why are you making it public that something bad is happening in Taguig?” she asked.

“Why is the LLDA’s own Facebook page full of updates on your investigations in Taguig? Thank you for informing the public… Then it’s blow by blow. Are you aware that you have something like this? Are you not aware? So who decides what you post on Facebook?” she added.

READ: Taguig gov’t disputes Lacson’s illegal reclamation claims

Parumog denied singling out Taguig, but Cayetano, citing the LLDA’s social media posts, said there were no updates when the agency issued CDOs in Angono and Muntinlupa.

“Why the special interest? There is no problem; you want to inform everybody of what your staff is doing from 8 am to 5 pm go ahead. Sen. Alan is just asking. It’s very simple: why do you make it appear in public that there are so many bad things happening in Taguig? And if that is not the intention, then why publicize for Taguig, and you don’t publish your work in other places,” Sen. Pia said.

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“I’m not saying anything against Taguig,” Parumog said. /mcm