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.
DPWH exec asked lawmaker to make budget insertions — Lacson, This news data comes from:http://gangzhifhm.com
"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.
"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.
- Hope dwindles for survivors days after deadly Afghan quake
- Makati earns high rating in anti-trafficking and violence assessment
- House holds budget review with 21 civil society organizations
- Hontiveros urges probe on Chinese faking Filipino identity
- Comelec defers reconstitution of BARMM parliamentary districts
- Sotto files bill to amend party-list system
- Gomez-Estoesta named court administrator by Supreme Court
- Sarah Discaya grilled by Senate over alleged DPWH links
- DPWH Secretary Dizon orders perpetual ban of Wawao Builders, Syms Construction for ghost projects
- DMW: 19 distressed OFWs return home from Jeddah
