Former Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez should have heeded invitations to attend the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s hearings last November and January to refute allegations linking him to the “mangling” of the 2025 budget, Senate President Pro Tempore and Blue Ribbon Chairman Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Wednesday.
Lacson said the committee issued at least two official invitations to Romualdez to testify on the budget controversy, which has been linked to anomalous flood control projects and other irregularities.
“The Blue Ribbon Committee gave the former speaker at least two chances through official invitations to testify under oath and public scrutiny to what may be his strong argument against allegations of masterminding the ‘mangling beyond recognition’ of the 2025 national budget during the bicameral conference, which he now claims to have been made by only two people – then SP (Senate President Francis) Chiz Escudero and ex Cong and House Appropriations Chairman (Elizaldy) Zaldy Co,” Lacson said in a post on X.
In Filipino: Lacson: Dapat Sinunod ni Romualdez ang Mga Imbitasyon ng Blue Ribbon para Sagutin ang Alegasyon sa Pagkalikot sa 2025 Badyet
The Blue Ribbon Committee gave the former speaker at least two chances through official invitations to testify under oath and public scrutiny to what may be his strong argument against allegations of masterminding the ‘mangling beyond recognition’ of the 2025 national budget…
— PING LACSON (@iampinglacson) April 21, 2026
As part of its investigation into anomalous flood control projects, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee sent the invitations to Romualdez through the office of Speaker Faustino Dy III, in keeping with inter-parliamentary courtesy. Romualdez did not attend the hearings last Nov. 14 and Jan. 19.
On Tuesday, Romualdez issued a video statement denying involvement in discussions on the 2025 budget, which has been described as “mangled beyond recognition” and contained several questionable items that smacked of corruption.
Romualdez attributed the budget decisions to Escudero and Co, saying he was not part of the bicameral conference committee or the “small committee” that made changes to the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) after it was approved by the Senate and the House.
Lacson, a longtime watchdog of the national budget, has repeatedly pushed for reforms in the budget process, including greater transparency especially at the bicameral conference stage.
In August 2025, he voiced support for the initiative of Senate finance committee chairman Sherwin Gatchalian to require the uploading of budget-related documents on government websites, and that of House appropriations committee chairperson Mikaela Angela Suansing to push for reforms including the abolition of the “small committee.”
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Lacson: Dapat Sinunod ni Romualdez ang Mga Imbitasyon ng Blue Ribbon para Sagutin ang Alegasyon sa Pagkalikot sa 2025 Badyet
Dapat sana ay sinunod ni dating Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez ang mga imbitasyon ng Senate Blue Ribbon Committee na dumalo sa mga pagdinig nito noong Nobyembre at Enero para pabulaanan ang mga alegasyong nag-uugnay sa kanya sa pagkalikot sa 2025 budget, ayon kay Senate President Pro Tempore at Blue Ribbon Chairman Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson ngayong Miyerkules.
Ani Lacson, pinadala ng komite ang hindi bababa sa dalawang imbitasyon kay Romualdez upang tumugon sa mga paratang na nag-uugnay sa kanya sa kontrobersiya sa badyet – na naiugnay naman sa mga maanomalyang flood control projects at iba pang iregularidad.
“The Blue Ribbon Committee gave the former speaker at least two chances through official invitations to testify under oath and public scrutiny to what may be his strong argument against allegations of masterminding the ‘mangling beyond recognition’ of the 2025 national budget during the bicameral conference, which he now claims to have been made by only two people – then SP (Senate President Francis) Chiz Escudero and ex Cong and House Appropriations Chairman (Elizaldy) Zaldy Co,” ayon kay Lacson sa isang post sa X.
Dinaan ng komite ang mga imbitasyon sa tanggapan ni Speaker Faustino Dy III, alinsunod sa prinsipyo ng inter-parliamentary courtesy. Hindi dumalo si Romualdez sa mga pagdinig noong Nobyembre 14 at Enero 19.
Nitong Martes, naglabas ng video statement si Romualdez na itinangging sangkot siya sa mga talakayan sa 2025 budget, na inilarawan bilang “mangled beyond recognition” at naglalaman ng ilang kahina-hinalang item na may bahid ng korapsyon.
Itinuro ni Romualdez ang mga desisyon sa budget kina Escudero at Co, at sinabing hindi siya bahagi ng bicameral conference committee o ng “small committee” na gumawa ng mga pagbabago sa General Appropriations Bill (GAB) matapos itong maaprubahan ng Senado at Kamara.
Si Lacson, na matagal nang tagapagbantay ng kaban ng bayan, ay paulit-ulit na nagsusulong ng mga reporma sa proseso ng budget, lalo na sa mas mataas na transparency sa antas ng bicameral conference.
Noong Agosto 2025, sinuportahan niya ang panukala ni Senate finance committee chairman Sherwin Gatchalian na ipatupad ang pag-upload ng mga dokumentong may kaugnayan sa budget sa mga website ng gobyerno, gayundin ang hakbang ni House appropriations committee chairperson Mikaela Angela Suansing para sa mga reporma, kabilang ang pag-aalis ng tinatawag na “small committee.”
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