Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Saturday disclosed a P5-million “allocation fund” offer from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), which he said was made through his Senate staff earlier this week.
Lacson, who unequivocally rejected the offer, said he will seek clarification on the matter when the proposed 2027 budget of the agency comes up for plenary debate in the Senate in November.
In Filipino: Lacson Tinanggihan ang ₱5M Alok na ‘Allocation Fund’ na Dinaan sa Senate Staff
“When TESDA’s proposed 2027 budget comes up for plenary debate, I will seek clarification on the ₱5-million fund offer made to me through my Senate staff early this week. I declined unequivocally,” Lacson said.
He posted on his X account screenshots of the allocation fund offer, purportedly from TESDA Secretary and Director General Jose Francisco Benitez, and made through a certain “Stephanie.”
Lacson said he initially considered an entrapment or sting operation against the ones who made the offer, but took pity on “Stephanie,” who he said appeared to be just following instructions.
“Maybe they thought I’m ‘standard practice.’ They didn’t know me. Now they do. Initially, I considered entrapment, but I took pity on Stephanie who apparently was only following instructions,” he said.
Lacson earlier said the Senate will scrutinize the House-approved version of the 2027 budget bill, and address the red flags there – including those affecting Foreign-Assisted Projects (FAPs).
Also, he said the Senate is considering cutting some P2 billion from its proposed 2027 budget in the National Expenditure Program (NEP) to set an example of fiscal discipline for the House of Representatives, particularly in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling striking down certain provisions of the 2024 and 2025 budgets as unconstitutional.
Lacson has consistently rejected “pork” in all its forms, as well as bribe offers a.k.a. lobby money in exchange for voting for or against a legislative measure and in the conduct of inquiries in aid of legislation.
In 2025, he bared the existence of “allocables,” which he described as the new pork barrel, as they allowed the funding of projects before they are identified.
At the time, he said their initial scrutiny showed that in the 2025 national budget, the House leadership got P143.5 billion in allocables. Even party lists and “non-legislators” got allocables as well.
The allocables were removed from the Senate’s version of the 2026 General Appropriations Bill.
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Lacson Tinanggihan ang ₱5M Alok na ‘Allocation Fund’ na Dinaan sa Senate Staff
Inilahad ni Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Sabado ang alok na ₱5 milyong “allocation fund” mula sa Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), na aniya’y ipinarating sa pamamagitan sa kanyang Senate staff nitong linggo.
Walang pasubaling tinanggihan ni Lacson ang alok at sinabing hihingi siya ng paglilinaw tungkol dito kapag sumalang sa plenary debate sa Senado sa Nobyembre ang panukalang 2027 budget ng ahensya.
“When TESDA’s proposed 2027 budget comes up for plenary debate, I will seek clarification on the ₱5-million fund offer made to me through my Senate staff early this week. I declined unequivocally,” ani Lacson.
Nag-post siya sa kanyang X account ng mga screenshot ng alok na allocation fund na umano’y nagmula kay TESDA Secretary at Director General Jose Francisco Benitez at ipinarating sa staff ni Lacson sa pamamagitan ng isang nagngangalang “Stephanie.”
Ani Lacson, una niyang naisip na magsagawa ng entrapment o sting operation laban sa mga nag-alok sa kanya, pero naawa siya kay “Stephanie,” na aniya’y tila sumusunod lamang sa mga ipinag-uutos sa kanya.
“Maybe they thought I’m ‘standard practice.’ They didn’t know me. Now they do. Initially, I considered entrapment, but I took pity on Stephanie who apparently was only following instructions,” aniya.
Idiniin na ni Lacson na sisiyasatin ng Senado ang bersyon ng panukalang 2027 budget na inaprubahan ng Kamara at tutugunan ang mga red flag na matutukoy dito, kabilang ang mga may kinalaman sa Foreign-Assisted Projects (FAPs).
Sinabi rin niya na pinag-aaralan ng Senado na bawasan ng humigit-kumulang ₱2 bilyon ang panukalang 2027 budget nito sa ilalim ng National Expenditure Program (NEP), upang magpakita ng halimbawa ng disiplina sa paggasta sa Kamara de Representantes. Lalong nagiging mahalaga ito kasunod ng desisyon ng Korte Suprema na nagdeklara bilang labag sa Konstitusyon ang ilang probisyon ng mga pambansang budget para sa 2024 at 2025.
Palagiang tinatanggihan ni Lacson ang “pork” sa anumang anyo nito, gayundin ang mga alok na suhol o tinatawag na lobby money kapalit ng pagboto pabor o laban sa isang panukalang batas at ng mga hakbang na ginagawa sa mga pagdinig na isinasagawa bilang bahagi ng tungkulin ng Kongreso na gumawa ng batas.
Noong 2025, ibinunyag niya ang pagkakaroon ng mga “allocables,” na inilarawan niyang bagong anyo ng pork barrel dahil pinahihintulutan nitong maglaan ng pondo para sa mga proyekto bago pa matukoy ang mga ito.
Lumabas noon sa paunang pagsusuri nila na nakakuha ng ₱143.5 bilyong allocables ang liderato ng Kamara sa pambansang budget para sa 2025. Maging ang mga party-list at mga “non-legislator” ay nakakuha rin ng allocables, aniya.
Inalis ang mga allocables sa bersyon ng Senate ng 2026 General Appropriations Bill.
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