Senator Ping Lacson produced proof of the involvement of a Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) official who allegedly called up and invited at least one lawmaker to make early insertions in the budget for 2026.
In a privilege speech, the veteran legislator presented a screenshot of a message from DPWH Undersecretary Ma. Catalina Cabral to Senate President Vicente Sotto III, shortly after he won the senatorial polls last May.
Lacson presented the “receipt” after Cabral denied to DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon her involvement in the mess.
“Dapat alam niya na hindi ako basta nagsasalita nang walang katibayan.”
“Let me put this one issue away first. The Usec that I mentioned to have offered our Senate President to make ‘insertions’ in the 2026 NEP vehemently denied it to her new boss, DPWH Sec Vince Dizon, and to his face at that – was actually lying through her teeth. Dapat alam niya na hindi ako basta nagsasalita nang walang katibayan,” the seasoned lawmaker stressed.
The senator noted the message sought projects from Sotto for inclusion in the National Expenditure Program. Sotto rejected the “invitation.”
The screenshot supposedly from Cabral asked Sotto if he had priority projects for “vetting” for redundancy, overlap, prior funding, correct location and alignment to national priorities and consistency with the menu for local projects.
“Para masama ko po sa NEP Sir.”
“Para masama ko po sa NEP Sir,” the message read.
“Ayan po ang resibo: ‘Para maisama ko po sa NEP sir’ — her words, not mine. Sabi nga ng mga abogado – ‘res ipsa loquitur’. (The thing speaks for itself),” Lacson concluded.
