Word war further escalates between Senators Marcos, Lacson over flood control probe

The word war between Philippine Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson’s and Senator Imee Marcos over the controversial flood control issue further escalated after Marcos posted tweets on X criticizing Lacson.

In one of her latest posts on X on the matte, Marcos complained that the Senate President was not giving her enough time on the Senate floor to present her evidence on the flood control issue.

Marcos said the last time she appeared for the Senate hearing on the issue, she was given only 10 minutes to talk even though Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa supposedly gave her his allotted time to speak on the Senate floor.

“Noong huli akong pumunta, 10 minutes lang hindi niya pinahintulutan, kahit pa binigay na ni Sen. Bato ang oras niya sa akin,” Marcos said in a statement.

She said she does not need an hour to tell the truth but that even an hour would not be enough to fabricate lies.

“Hindi ko kailangan ang isang oras para magsabi ng totoo—pero kulang na kulang ang isang oras para magsinungaling. Batalo ko na sa kanila ’yan,” she said.

Marcos’s remarks came amid an escalating public exchange between her and Lacson over the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s handling of the investigation into alleged anomalies in flood control projects and the 2026 national budget.

Lacson earlier dared Marcos to present evidence that would directly link her cousin, former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, to the alleged flood control scandal

Speaking during the Kapihan sa Senado media forum on Wednesday, Jan. 14, Lacson said Marcos was welcome to attend the hearings and even offered to give her one full hour to present whatever evidence she may have.

Lacson rejected claims that senators were being prevented from implicating high-ranking officials, saying there was no prohibition imposed by the committee leadership or its members. He also criticized Marcos for making accusations despite her absence from the hearings, warning that such statements only sow confusion and undermine the integrity of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.

Lacson stressed that accusations alone would not lead to accountability, saying only concrete evidence could support indictments in the flood control project controversy.

Marcos, however, has previously said she has effectively disengaged from the flood control probe following the removal of Senator Rodante Marcoleta as chair of the Blue Ribbon Committee. She has claimed that investigators were restricted from pursuing higher-level officials and contractors involved in the projects.

The dispute is part of a broader word war between Marcos and Lacson over the 2026 national budget and the Senate’s oversight of flood control spending.

Marcos has repeatedly criticized the proposed budget, branding it a “giniling” or minced pork budget, and warning that large allocations for assistance programs and infrastructure could be driven by political motives, including efforts tied to impeachment moves against Vice President Sara Duterte.

-Paraluman News

Graphics by Madelene Pagkatotohan/Paraluman News from photos on the official social media pages of Philippine Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson’s and Senator Imee Marcos