Senator Alan Peter Cayetano pushed back against criticisms over alleged irregularities in discretionary funds, accusing opponents of political maneuvering and directly taking aim at Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson in a livestreamed “fellowship lunch” on June 19.

In a Facebook Live on Thursday, Cayetano argued that claims regarding alleged misuse of ₱700 million in Senate funds were being misrepresented, insisting that the computation used by critics was flawed.

“Unang-una, maggaling sa division si Senator Lacson for two reasons… Pero mahina talaga siya sa math,” Cayetano said, as he disputed the arithmetic behind the allegations.

He further questioned the computation method, saying critics allegedly miscalculated by dividing and multiplying figures without proper basis.

“Bakit? Because 12 is not 13,” he added, pointing to what he described as inconsistencies in the timeline and computation presented by his critics.

Cayetano also defended the use of Senate funds, saying discretionary allocations in previous administrations had been utilized by past Senate leadership and denied any misuse.

“Nising ko, may discretionary fund na pwedeng kunin ng Senate President. Maraming previous Senate Presidents, tens or hundreds of millions kinuha. Nising ko, hindi ako kumuha doon,” he said.

He also rejected suggestions that the funds were improperly spent, saying critics were shaping a narrative of non-productivity despite ongoing legislative work.

“Ba't tayo papasok sa strategy? In one sense, kailangan mo sagutin yung issue… Pero ayoko rin naman isipin ng tao, winaldas ko 700 million,” he said.

Cayetano further alleged that opposing groups were using political strategy to paint their bloc as unproductive and chaotic, while asserting that their camp continues to work on legislative measures.

“Yun ang strategy nila,” he said, claiming efforts were being made to portray them negatively despite ongoing Senate activity.

He added that while he prefers to stick to policy issues, he felt compelled to respond to what he called tactical attacks to prevent public misunderstanding.

“Stick to the issue tayo, which is truth… Pero sometimes, it's strategic na i-expose yung ginagawa nila,” he said.

Cayetano ended by noting that his background in political science informs his approach to political disputes, emphasizing that public perception must also be addressed alongside policy debates.