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., This news data comes from:http://sfuikxa.redcanaco.com
"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
"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.
- Villanueva: Regularize contractual govt workers
- North Korea's Kim oversees ICBM engine test: state media
- ICC wants Garma to testify in Duterte case
- US strike marks shift to military action against drug cartels
- House justice panel to probe US' extradition request for Quiboloy
- PH doesn't recognize Taiwan as sovereign state, stands by 'One China Policy' -- Foreign Affairs chief
- Malacañang calls plot to jail VP Duterte 'wild imagination'
- Trump plans a hefty tax on imported drugs, risking higher prices and shortages
- DOTr denies ordering shutdown of online selling platforms
- Taiwan: China illegally deploying oil rigs in our waters
