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://hkksxawl.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.
- Nartatez to reassign Torre if he won't retire, says they're 'okay'
- A suicide bombing near a political rally in southwestern Pakistan kills 13 and wounds 30
- AboitizPower pushes growth with clean, renewable energy
- The rot goes deep: Marcos decries decades-old corruption
- Heavy rain falls in parts of Southeast Asia after tropical storm blows into Vietnam
- House justice panel to probe US' extradition request for Quiboloy
- Marcos orders full budget review for DPWH amid ghost projects scandal
- Modi and Putin affirm special relationship as India faces steep US tariffs over Russian oil imports
- Actress Angel Aquino victim of 'deepfake,' seeks prosecution of perpetrators of cyber pornography
- Chinese warships shadow Philippine, Australian, Canadian drills in Zambales
