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.
DPWH exec asked lawmaker to make budget insertions — Lacson
"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://052298.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.
- Israel military says controls 40 percent of Gaza City
- 'Perfect storm': UK fishermen reel from octopus invasion
- Pagasa: Trough of LPA, 'habagat' will bring rain, thunderstorms across PH
- Two dead as strong earthquake jolts Afghanistan
- Wildfire tears through California gold rush town
- 25,000 Filipinos register for Pag-IBIG's Expanded 4PH Housing Program
- Marcos to youth: Help in nation-building
- Trough of LPA, ‘habagat’ will bring rain showers, thunderstorms across PH
- 1 in 4 people lack access to safe drinking water — UN
- Trump: Many Americans ‘like a dictator’
