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.705-888.com
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.
- Go Negosyo, CFO push migrant empowerment
- Mob burns Nigerian woman to death over Islam blasphemy claim — police
- Tourists dice with danger on Hanoi's train street
- UN food agency chief says women and children are starving in Gaza and pressed Netanyahu on aid
- ‘Gomez ignorant of how media works’
- La Niña may return but temperatures will remain high, UN says
- PNP chief Torre relieved from post — Palace
- Over 800 killed as quake rocks Afghanistan
- Trump escalates crackdown threats with Chicago 'war' warning
- Batangas engineer suspended after alleged bribery attempt on congressman Leviste
