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., This news data comes from:http://arlruds.redcanaco.com
DPWH exec asked lawmaker to make budget insertions — Lacson
"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.
DPWH exec asked lawmaker to make budget insertions — Lacson
- Court rules on subdivision open spaces, road lots
- Kanlaon Volcano spews ash
- Floods kill over 30 in Indian-controlled Kashmir, displace 150,000 in east Pakistan
- Comelec upholds cancelation of Duterte Youth registration
- DSWD program reduced hunger
- Some areas in Metro Manila, 5 provinces to have power interruptions due to maintenance works
- No winner in Ultra, Megalotto draws for Aug 29
- Australia expels Iran ambassador over antisemitic attacks
- Marcos to youth: Help in nation-building
- What to know about Indonesia's nationwide unrest over lawmakers' perks
