Tag: Tito Sotto

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Push to Scrap Unprogrammed Appropriations in 2026 Budget Gains Momentum as Lacson Backs Sotto, Gatchalian

The push to scrap unprogrammed appropriations from the 2026 national budget gained more momentum as Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson threw his full support behind Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Senate finance committee chairman Sherwin Gatchalian.

Lacson said Saturday that he will add his voice to the Senate’s stand if the Senate and House contingents meet on the matter at the bicameral conference committee.

“Our agreement was that there will be no unprogrammed appropriations in the 2026 budget, but we will allow funding for foreign-assisted projects that are necessary. Funds in the unprogrammed appropriations for other purposes will be removed,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino, in an interview on DZMM radio.

In Filipino: Lacson, Suportado sina Sotto at Gatchalian: Alisin ang Unprogrammed Appropriations sa 2026 Budget

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Lacson: Congress is the ‘Original Sin’ Behind Flood Control Project Hell

Floods and the corruption behind substandard and ghost flood control projects have turned Filipinos’ lives into a living hell, and Congress is the “original sin” behind it all.

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson stressed this on Monday as he said the logical conclusion to the Senate investigation on the matter must at least reach this “original sin.”

“We must make sure that the logical conclusion does not stop with Henry Alcantara, Brice Hernandez, Sally Santos or the Discayas. We must see to it that the logical conclusion reaches the ‘original sin,'” Lacson, who chairs the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee looking into the mess, said in Filipino in an interview on True FM.

“Congress is the original sin here. If congressmen and senators did not insert funds, there would be no funds for corrupt Department of Public Works and Highways officials to play with, especially in the district engineering offices. It has come to a point where corruption became systemic, where even junior functionaries invent their own money-making schemes,” he added.

Lacson is to chair the next hearing of the Blue Ribbon Committee on Tuesday, Sept. 23, at 9 a.m. He said he has asked Senate President Vicente Sotto III to slightly delay the start of the regular session to 4 p.m.

In Filipino: Lacson: Kongreso ang ‘Original Sin’ sa Impyerno ng Maanomalyang Flood Control Projects

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Lacson Calls Out, Debunks ‘Faky Breaky News’ on Senate Counter-Coup

Faky Breaky News.

This was how Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson branded on Sunday a supposed “Breaking News” post claiming that another Senate leadership change is in the works.

“Peke. Intended to deceive and confuse. Underestimating the intelligence of the new Senate majority bloc, nagba-baka sakaling may tumalon at magpirma,” Lacson said of the post, on X.

“Malevolent, underhanded, foul and desperate. Kung may song na ‘Achy Breaky Hearts’, eto naman – ‘Faky Breaky News’,” he added.

In Filipino: Lacson, Binanatan at Pinabulaanan ang ‘Faky Breaky News’ Tungkol sa Counter-Kudeta sa Senado

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Lacson Produces ‘Receipt’ of DPWH Usec’s Role in Early Budget Insertions

Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Tuesday produced proof of the involvement of a Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) official who allegedly called up and invited at least one lawmaker to make early insertions in the budget for 2026.

In a privilege speech, Lacson presented a screenshot of a message from DPWH Undersecretary. Ma. Catalina Cabral to Senate President Vicente Sotto III, shortly after he won the senatorial polls last May.

He presented the “receipt” after Cabral denied to DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon her involvement in the mess.

“Let me put this one issue away first. The Usec that I mentioned to have offered our Senate President to make “insertions” in the 2026 NEP vehemently denied it to her new boss, DPWH Sec Vince Dizon, and to his face at that – was actually lying through her teeth. Dapat alam niya na hindi ako basta nagsasalita nang walang katibayan (She should know that I don’t talk without proof),” Lacson said.

In Filipino: Lacson, Naglabas ng ‘Resibo’ sa Papel ng DPWH Usec sa Maagang Budget Insertions

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Lacson Names DPWH Exec in Early Budget Insertions

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

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