Marilyn Cahatol

Lacson calls for probe on Cabinet officials' alleged budget insertions

Senator-elect Panfilo Lacson during the proclamation for the winning senators of the recently concluded Halalan 2025 on  May 1, 2025 at the Tent City of the Manila Hotel. Handout, Panfilo Lacson Media Team

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176672024367720250517-lacson-ping-proclamation-HO-10 (1).jpg" style="width:960px;display:block;height:auto" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Senator-elect Panfilo Lacson during the proclamation for the winning senators of the recently concluded Halalan 2025 on  May 1, 2025 at the Tent City of the Manila Hotel. <em>Handout, Panfilo Lacson Media Team </em></span></span></span>MANILA — Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Friday called for a “genuine&quot; inter-agency investigation into Cabinet officials allegedly linked to billions of pesos of insertions in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) budgets in previous years, warning that prematurely dismissing them may lead to a &quot;cover-up.&quot;</div><p>Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste this week alleged some Cabinet secretaries and undersecretaries are included in supposed budget insertions and their proponents he said he received former Public Works Undersecretary Ma. Catalina Cabral, who has since <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/18/former-dpwh-usec-cabral-found-unconscious-after-falling-from-benguet-cliff-police-say-2355">died</a>.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/19/who-was-catalina-cabral-and-how-could-her-death-affect-flood-control-probe-1455">Who was Cathy Cabral, and how could her death affect flood control probe?<br/></a></div><p>Palace Press Officer Claire Castro dismissed the allegation as “hearsay or tsismis which have no probative value” since the supposed document has yet to be authenticated by the DPWH.</p><p>&quot;Instead of pursuing an honest-to-goodness inter-agency investigation by using whatever probative value was unearthed mainly from the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearings, to prematurely dismiss the probable involvement of some members of the Cabinet as &#x27;hearsay&#x27; may be interpreted as a euphemism for &#x27;cover-up,&#x27;” Lacson said.</p><p>Lacson said the Blue Ribbon Committee hearings include &quot;testimonies, supported by official documents in the budget books like lists of items that corroborate the testimonies of resource persons whose involvement in the plunder of public funds have been clearly established through their admission against interest and under oath at that.&quot;</p><p>He added that the discovery of a “web of accounts” may also lead to the movements of funds initiated by the Anti-Money Laundering Council.</p><p>Leviste this week shared a series of Cabral’s supposed list summarizing an alleged<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/25/leviste-shares-summary-of-alleged-p3-5-t-dpwh-district-allocations-for-2023-2026-1823"> P3.5 trillion </a>worth of budget insertions per district from 2023 to 2026.</p><p>Congress, which works on the national budget based on the National Expenditure Program submitted by the executive branch, has the power to amend the proposed spending plan. </p><p>These are commonly made on the session floor, but insertions are also made during the historically secretive bicameral conference committee, which meets to iron out differences in the versions of bills passed by the House and Senate.</p><p>The Batangas representative claimed he received the data with the approval of Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon in the spirit of transparency.</p><p>Leviste has also responded to the Palace’s dismissal of the allegations, urging Castro to confirm the data with Dizon. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ybrZFpmYv7A?si=3AmCDWx1SCek6Sfl" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Friday called for a “genuine" inter-agency investigation into Cabinet officials allegedly linked to billions of pesos of insertions in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) budgets in previous years.</p>

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Friday called for a “genuine" inter-agency investigation into Cabinet officials allegedly linked to billions of pesos of insertions in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) budgets in previous years.

Lacson calls for probe into Cabinet officials' alleged budget insertions

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Traffic

Manila

Horoscope

Nation

Lacson calls for probe into Cabinet officials' alleged budget insertions

Marilyn Cahatol,

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 26, 2025 11:49 AM PHT

|

Updated Dec 26, 2025 11:56 AM PHT

Read More:

Catalina Cabral

Vince Dizon

Leandro Leviste

DPWH

budget insertions

allocable

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.