MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Panfilo Lacson said an official of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) called up one lawmaker to make early insertions in the proposed national budget for 2026.
The senator on Sunday said a caller claiming to be "Undersecretary Cabral" from DPWH called up a staff member of Senate Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III shortly after the May 2025 senatorial elections.
"One 'Undersecretary Cabral' called Sotto's staff and told them to insert what they wanted to insert [in the National Expenditure Program (NEP) for 2026]," Lacson said in a radio interview.
"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.
DPWH exec asked lawmaker to make budget insertions — Lacson, This news data comes from:http://www.xs888999.com
"Senator 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?" Lacson added.
- Bureau of Customs seeks missing luxury cars of contractor Sarah Discaya
- 2 Marikina policemen accused of molestation
- Sen. Bong Go files bill for better health worker protection, benefits
- Motive probed for US shooting that killed two children, injured 17
- Choose Ombudsman with integrity, intelligence, insight – Cayetano
- DPWH exec fired, 2 others face dismissal over flood control mess
- Aftershocks rumble quake-hit Afghanistan as death toll tops 1,400
- Lacson lauds Leviste for arrest of DPWH engineer who offered P360M bribe
- Tensions soar in Indonesia as protests over police brutality and lawmakers' allowances continue
- Trump rebrands Department of Defense as 'Department of War'
