Tag: Leandro Leviste

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Lacson Calls for Inter-Agency Probe Into Budget Insertion Claims, Warns vs ‘Cover-Up’

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson called for a genuine inter-agency investigation into claims linking Cabinet officials to multibillion-peso budget insertions for Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) infrastructure projects, as he warned that prematurely dismissing them risks the perception of a “cover-up.”

Lacson said it is too early for Malacanang to brand claims related to the insertions as “hearsay” especially since significant evidence had been unearthed, mainly from hearings of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee which he chairs.

“Instead of pursuing an honest-to-goodness inter-agency investigation by using whatever probative value was unearthed mainly from the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearings, to prematurely dismiss the probable involvement of some members of the Cabinet as ‘hearsay’ may be interpreted as a euphemism for ‘cover-up,’” Lacson said.

In Filipino: Lacson, Nanawagan ng Inter-Agency Probe sa Umano’y Budget Insertions ng Ilang Cabinet Members; Nagbabala vs ‘Cover-Up’

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Lacson: Senators Elected in 2025 Not Included in Leviste Claim on Budget Insertions

Senators who were elected last May are not among those who had budget insertions in the 2025 budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) as claimed by Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said.

Lacson said the records cited by Leviste, which supposedly showed senators’ insertions in the DPWH’s 2025 budget amounting to P120 billion, refer to a budget that was approved by the 19th Congress, months before the May midterm elections.

“Congressman Leviste should at least qualify his statement with the phrase ‘in the 19th Congress’ in fairness to the new members of the 20th Congress, including myself and Senate President Vicente Sotto III, among others,” he said.

“That said, even during the previous Congresses, I never partook of allocables or pork barrel allocations, or whatever names they were called,” he added.

In Filipino: Lacson: Mga Senador na Nahalal noong Mayo, Hindi Kabilang sa Mga Mayroong 2025 Budget Insertions

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Lacson Welcomes Leviste Efforts to Secure Documents on Corruption in Infra Projects

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson welcomed on Monday efforts – including those by Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste – to secure documents and other materials that may further help in the investigation into the corruption behind anomalous infrastructure projects.

Lacson said that while he is not privy to the contents of the documents Leviste supposedly received from the late Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Ma. Catalina Cabral, he is glad that Leviste has the initiative to secure the files.

“For me, I’m glad that there is a Rep. Leandro Leviste who I think is hardworking enough to secure material documents that may help shed light on the ongoing investigations related to anomalous infra projects involving several corrupt government officials,” he said.

In Filipino: Pagsisikap ni Leviste na Ma-Secure ang mga Dokumento ni Cabral, Welcome kay Lacson

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Lacson: Move to Save P400B by Canceling, Re-Pricing DPWH Projects Can Ease Debt Burden

A proposal to save some P400 billion by canceling or re-pricing P1.6 trillion in ongoing and upcoming projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will not only fund priority health and education programs but also ease our debt burden.

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson stressed this on Friday as he supported the suggestion by neophyte Rep. Leandro Leviste to take such actions.

“Neophyte Cong. Leviste should be listened to and taken seriously. He surely knows how to compute. P400B in savings to bridge our budget deficit will help ease our debt burden,” Lacson said in a post on X.

In Filipino: Lacson: Pagtipid ng P400B sa Pagkansela at Pag-Reprice ng mga Proyekto ng DPWH, Makakabawas Din sa Utang ng Bayan

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Lacson: DPWH Execs Relegated to Being Bagmen of Big Contractors, ‘Funders’

The foiled bribe try by a Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineer on Rep. Leandro Leviste last weekend may indicate DPWH district officials have become “legmen” and “bagmen” of powerful contractors and/or “funders,” or the lawmakers responsible for insertions in the General Appropriations Act, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Monday.

Lacson also said the corruption in the DPWH may have become so systemic that a surgical solution – beyond kicking out or reassigning officials – may be needed.

“DPWH Batangas 1st District Engineer Abelardo Calalo is far from being a ‘big fish.’ His arrest after a foiled bribery try on Rep. Leviste reinforces my theory that some DPWH officials, at least at the district engineering level have already been relegated to being ‘legmen’ and worse, ‘bagmen’ of some ‘powerful contractors’ or ‘funders’ responsible for the insertions in the budget,” Lacson said.

In Filipino: Lacson: Opisyal ng DPWH, Ginawang ‘Bagmen’ na Lang ng Malalaking Kontratista at ‘Funder’

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