Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Sunday named an official of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) as the one who allegedly called up and invited at least one lawmaker to make early insertions in the proposed national budget for 2026.
Lacson said a caller claiming to be “Undersecretary Cabral” called up a staff member of Senate minority leader Vicente Sotto III shortly after the May 2025 senatorial elections and asked them to propose what they want to insert in the National Expenditure Program for 2026.
“One ‘Undersecretary Cabral’ called Sotto’s staff and told them to insert what they wanted to insert. If Sen. Sotto was one of those called by that executive, who else could have been contacted similarly and submitted their proposed insertions?” he said in Filipino in an interview on DZBB radio.
“Sen. Sotto told me he did not submit anything because we are advocating transparency and good governance. The question now is, how many members of the House and Senate made insertions?” he added.
In Filipino: Lacson, Pinangalanan ang DPWH Exec sa Maagang Budget Insertions
The DPWH website lists Maria Catalina E. Cabral as Undersecretary for Planning, Public-Private Partnership, and Information Management Services.
Lacson noted the 2026 NEP was already being prepared before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called out lawmakers in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July 28. He said the budget call started January 2025, and likely ended in June, in time for its submission to Congress within 30 days after the President’s SONA.
Lacson said he has asked for the relevant records of the DPWH. He said he has seen hundreds of “distinct” entries, including 660 items for identical P100-million projects without stationing or descriptions.
Also, Lacson lamented that such collusion between agencies like the DPWH and lawmakers may have rendered useless the checks and balances for the budgeting process.
He said this could be one factor in Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin’s statement urging the House of Representatives to heed the public demand for full accountability and “clean (its own) house first.”
“Safeguards will be rendered useless if there is collusion. If there is collusion, all safeguards will be disregarded, as seen in the briefing of the Development Budget Coordination Committee where there was collusion between legislators and the DPWH in the drafting of the NEP,” he said.
*****
Lacson, Pinangalanan ang DPWH Exec sa Maagang Budget Insertions
Pinangalanan ni Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Linggo ang isang opisyal ng Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) na diumano’y tumawag at nag-imbita sa hindi bababa sa isang mambabatas na magsagawa ng maagang insertions sa panukalang pambansang budget para sa 2026.
Ayon kay Lacson, may tumawag na nagpakilalang si “Undersecretary Cabral” sa isang staff ni Senate Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III makalipas ang halalan sa Senado noong Mayo. Hiningi umano nito ang nais nilang ipasok sa National Expenditure Program (NEP) para sa 2026.
“Sasabihin ko na, si ‘Undersecretary Cabral’ daw ang tumawag sa kanyang (Sotto) staff at sinabing magsingit kayo dito ng gusto n’yong isingit. E di wala na. Kung isa si Sen. Sotto na in-offer-an, sino pa ang na-offer-an ng ganoon at sino ang nag-submit?” ani Lacson sa isang panayam sa DZBB radio.
“Si Sen. Sotto, sabi niya sa akin, hindi ako nag-submit. Ito nga ang ating ina-advocate, pagkatapos magsa-submit ako ng insertion? Yan ang sagot niya sa akin. Ngayon, ilang miyembro ng Kamara ang nakapag-insert, ilang miyembro ng Senado ang nakapag-insert?” dagdag niya.
Nakalista sa website ng DPWH si Maria Catalina E. Cabral bilang Undersecretary for Planning, Public-Private Partnership, and Information Management Services.
Ani Lacson, ang NEP para sa 2026 ay inihahanda na bago pa man binatikos ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ang mga mambabatas sa kanyang State of the Nation Address (SONA) noong Hulyo 28. Paliwanag niya, nagsimula ang budget call noong Enero 2025 at malamang natapos ng Hunyo, para maipasa ito sa Kongreso sa loob ng 30 araw matapos ang SONA ng Pangulo.
Ibinunyag din ni Lacson na humiling siya ng mga kaukulang rekord mula sa DPWH. Aniya, may nakita siyang daan-daang “distinct” na entry, kabilang ang 660 item ng parehong proyekto na tig-P100 milyon ngunit walang malinaw na stationing o deskripsyon.
Ikinalungkot ni Lacson na dahil sa ganitong sabwatan ng mga ahensya tulad ng DPWH at mga mambabatas, posibleng mawalan ng saysay ang checks and balances ng proseso ng pagba-budget.
Aniya, maaaring ito rin ang dahilan kung bakit nanawagan si Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin sa Kamara na pakinggan ang panawagan ng publiko para sa buong pananagutan at “linisin muna ang sariling bakuran.”
“Mawawala lang ang safeguards pagka nagkaroon ng sabwatan, pag may collusion. Kasi kung mawawala ang check and balance, mawawala ang lahat ng safeguards. Maski may safeguards, babalewalain. Tulad ng nasaksihan natin sa pagdinig ng DBCC, lumalabas na sa NEP pa lang meron nang sabwatan ang legislators at DPWH,” aniya.
*****