Documents from the camp of the late Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Catalina Cabral and from the DPWH itself showed at least five Cabinet members and even some undersecretaries had allocables and/or non-allocables amounting to billions of pesos in the 2025 budget, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Saturday.
Lacson said these include one “ES” who had P8.3 billion, and ex-DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan, whose allocables for 2025 alone amounted to at least P30.5 billion.
“At least five Cabinet secretaries and some undersecretaries had allocables and/or non-allocables, according to the documents. I was surprised at one entry that said ‘ES, P8 billion.’ How did one ‘ES’ get allocables?” he said in English and Filipino in an interview on DWIZ.
“For Bonoan, I saw his allocables include P5 billion, plus three more batches totaling P25.5 billion, so P30.5 billion in all. What is his right to the allocables? Also, I saw the other Cabinet secretaries getting P2 billion each. Why?” he added.
In Filipino: Lacson: 5 Cabinet Secretaries May Allocables at/o Non-Allocables sa 2025 Budget, Base sa DPWH at Cabral Files
There were also billions for the House leadership and party list groups, he added.
Lacson said it is uncertain at this time if the Cabinet members also had amounts from other departments in the 2025 budget.
He added that at least one Cabinet member aside from Bonoan benefited from kickbacks, as former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo indicated he had delivered money to that Cabinet member.
“Aside from Bonoan, at least one more Cabinet member received kickbacks from Bernardo,” he said, adding that Cabinet member may be invited to the Blue Ribbon hearing once relevant documents are authenticated.
He said the Cabinet secretaries concerned may be invited to the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s probe into anomalous flood control projects once the relevant documents are authenticated, including Special Allotment Release Orders dated Dec. 27, 2024.
Documents received by Lacson from Cabral’s camp showed the SAROs involved the release of P50 billion in unprogrammed appropriations, of which P30 billion was for flood control projects, many of them were validated to be ghost projects.
Lacson noted that while former Undersecretary Cabral reached out to him shortly after she was implicated by former Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo in the Blue Ribbon Committee’s Nov. 14 hearing and expressed willingness to tell all but died earlier this month, they can have DBM officer-in-charge Rolando Toledo or the DPWH authenticate the documents.
Cabral had indicated she was to testify on the SAROs before she died, Lacson noted.
“The information I got is based on documents given to me by Cabral’s lawyer and from documents I got from the DPWH. We can have these documents authenticated,” he added.
“Why should Cabinet secretaries get allocables? I thought the allocables were for lawmakers to request projects for their districts, which to me is still unacceptable because the National Expenditure Program is the exclusive domain of the executive department,” he said.
Palace Must Avoid Perception of Selective Action Amid Low Trust Ratings
Meanwhile, Lacson said Malacanang should avoid the perception of being selective – particularly on who to prosecute in connection with the case of anomalous infrastructure projects – especially in the wake of low trust ratings for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
He said that while he sympathizes with the President, he stressed the administration must show it is not selective in fighting corruption.
Lacson noted at least two ambassadors who made courtesy calls to him recently had asked him pointblank about his views on corruption.
“One common question they had was about corruption. It is sad because previous courtesy calls focused on the West Philippine Sea and politics. But now it’s corruption – what can you say about corruption in your country. The questions were direct. It is a shame for our country,” he said.
“To be selective on who to prosecute, that is bad and that will not do the country any good,” he added. “The investigation must continue. Jail those who should be jailed.”
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Lacson: 5 Cabinet Secretaries May Allocables at/o Non-Allocables sa 2025 Budget, Base sa DPWH at Cabral Files
Hindi bababa sa limang Cabinet secretaries at ilang undersecretaries ang may bilyon-bilyong pisong allocables at/o non-allocables sa 2025 budget base sa dokumento mula sa kampo ng yumaong Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Catalina Cabral at sa mismong DPWH, ayon kay Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Sabado.
Ani Lacson, kabilang dito ang isang tinukoy na “ES” na may P8.3 bilyon, at si dating DPWH Sec. Manuel Bonoan, na nakakuha ng P30.5 bilyon na allocables para sa 2025 lamang.
“At least five. Tapos may undersecretaries. Nagulat din ako, isang nakalagay doon, ‘ES, P8 billion.’ Paano magkaroon ng allocable ang ‘ES’?” ani Lacson sa panayam sa DWIZ.
“Kay Sec. Bonoan, nakita ko ang kanyang allocables isang P5 billion, tapos may Batches 1-3 na nakakahalaga ng P25.5B – P10B, P8B, at P7.5B. Umaabot na siya ng P30.5 billion. Anong karapatan niya magkaroon ng allocables? Tapos meron ding Cabinet secretaries na meron ding tig-P2 billion. Bakit?” dagdag niya.
Ani Lacson, may bilyon-bilyong halaga ng allocable din para sa House leadership at sa ilang party-list group.
Dagdag niya, hindi pa tiyak sa ngayon kung may matatanggap pang pondo ang mga Cabinet member mula sa iba pang ahensya sa 2025 budget.
Ibinunyag din ni Lacson na hindi bababa sa isang Cabinet member na bukod kay Bonoan ang nakinabang sa kickback, batay sa pahayag ng dating DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo na naghatid ng pera sa nasabing opisyal.
“Aside from Bonoan, at least one more Cabinet member meron siyang binigyan,” ani Lacson, at idinagdag na maaaring ipatawag ang naturang opisyal sa pagdinig ng Senate Blue Ribbon Committee kapag napatunayan na ang mga kaugnay na dokumento.
Sinabi rin niya na maaaring ipatawag ang mga Cabinet secretary sa imbestigasyon ng Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hinggil sa mga maanomalyang flood control project kapag na-authenticate na ang mga dokumento, kabilang ang mga Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) na may petsang Disyembre 27, 2024.
Ayon kay Lacson, ang mga dokumentong kanyang natanggap mula sa kampo ni Cabral ay nagpapakita na ang mga SARO ay may kinalaman sa pagpapalabas ng P50 bilyon na unprogrammed appropriations, kung saan P30 bilyon ay inilaan sa flood control projects — at marami sa mga ito ang napatunayang ghost projects.
Ikinuwento ni Lacson na matapos siyang banggitin ni dating Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo sa pagdinig ng Blue Ribbon Committee noong Nobyembre 14, ay nakipag-ugnayan sa kanya si Cabral at nagpahayag ng kahandaang magsabi ng lahat, subalit pumanaw ito noong unang bahagi ng buwang ito. Gayunman, sinabi ni Lacson na maaari nilang ipa-authenticate ang mga dokumento sa officer-in-charge ng DBM na si Rolando Toledo o sa DPWH mismo.
Ayon kay Lacson, ipinahiwatig ni Cabral bago siya pumanaw na handa siyang tumestigo hinggil sa mga SARO.
“Ang pinagbabasehan ko lang ang hawak bigay sa akin ng lawyer ni Usec Cabral at ibang documents nakuha ko sa DPWH. Pwede ko pa-authenticate sa kanila yan,” ani Lacson.
“Bakit magkaroon ng allocable ang Cabinet secretary? Pag allocable, patungkol ito sa mambabatas na naghihiling ng proyekto na hindi rin dapat para sa akin… Ang NEP is exclusive domain ng executive branch,” dagdag niya.
Palasyo Dapat Umiwas sa Persepsiyon ng Piling Pagpapatupad ng Batas sa Gitna ng Mababang Trust Ratings
Samantala, iginiit ni Lacson na dapat iwasan ng Malacañang ang perception na namimili lamang ito kung sino ang iimbestigahan o uusigin kaugnay ng mga maanomalyang proyektong pang-imprastraktura, lalo na sa harap ng mababang trust ratings ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Bagama’t nauunawaan niya ang sitwasyon ng Pangulo, iginiit ni Lacson na kailangang ipakita ng administrasyon na hindi ito namimili sa paglaban sa korupsiyon.
Dagdag ni Lacson, hindi bababa sa dalawang ambassador na bumisita sa kanya kamakailan ay diretsahang nagtanong tungkol sa kanyang pananaw sa isyu ng korupsiyon.
“Isang common question tungkol sa corruption. Di ba nakakalungkot yan, ang dating courtesy call ng amba di yan pinaguusapan. More on security West Philippine Sea and politics. Pero ito one common question talagang nag-stick out. What can you say about corruption in your country. Ganoon ka diretso ang tanong. Nakakahiya,” ani Lacson.
“Para maging selective sa pag-prosecute, yan ang masama, yan ang hindi makakabuti sa bayan,” dagdag niya. “Dapat talaga maituloy tuloy ang investigation, makulong ang dapat makulong.”
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