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, This news data comes from:http://aichuwei.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.
"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.
- In Taiwan, competing narratives over the meaning of China's massive military show
- SSS hails Marcos, Recto for initiating pension reforms, including one to be rolled out in Sept
- DOTr denies ordering shutdown of online selling platforms
- Trump rebrands Department of Defense as 'Department of War'
- Filipino fulfills dream of performing with K-pop group before home fans
- Some National Guard units in Washington are now carrying firearms in escalation of Trump deployment
- 'Strangest' dinosaur covered in spiked armory – scientists
- Undersea cables cut in the Red Sea, disrupting internet access in Asia and the Mideast
- Diokno urges Philippines to rejoin ICC to counter China's aggression
- Madagascar welcomes home skulls of Indigenous warriors taken by French colonial troops 128 years ago
