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://www.erlvyiwan.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.
DPWH exec asked lawmaker to make budget insertions — Lacson
"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.
- Sara favors punishing officials, lifestyle checks
- Sara slams govt corruption probe as a 'political zarzuela,' to meet with Robredo at Bicol festival
- Vatican puts Pope Francis' ecological preaching into practice with vocational farm center
- 15 people hospitalized after double-decker bus crashes outside London's Victoria Station
- Strikes across Gaza Strip kill at least 31 as international scholars accuse Israel of genocide
- Heavy rain falls in parts of Southeast Asia after tropical storm blows into Vietnam Heavy rain falls in parts of Southeast Asia after tropical storm blows into Vietnam
- In Taiwan, competing narratives over the meaning of China's massive military show
- Govt monitoring Chinese ‘sleeper agents’ in PH
- 'Blood Moon' to rise during total lunar eclipse Sunday night
- Trump withdraws Kamala Harris's Secret Service protection
