Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Saturday said lawmakers in both chambers of Congress are not above suspicion in the growing controversy surrounding anomalous and non-existent flood control projects.

In a radio interview, Lacson underscored that both senators and congressmen have the power to propose insertions or amendments to the national budget, a process he described as having long been vulnerable to abuse.

“I am not saying it’s just members of the House,” Lacson said. “It is possible that some senators introduce insertions for such projects, and may even profit from the 25-percent share for the ‘funder’ or proponent of the insertions from the flood control project costs.”

Asked if senators might be involved in the alleged irregularities, Lacson responded: “I’ll put it this way. There may be senators and House members who may be connected to anomalous flood control projects.”

Lacson, known for his anti-corruption stance, stressed the importance of not naming individuals without solid evidence. Thus, now is not the right time to name any senators. He vowed, however, to release any findings once these are backed by verified data.

Chiz admits donation

While Lacson did not name names, Senate President Francis Escudero on Tuesday confirmed that Centerways Construction donated P30 million to his 2022 election campaign, but he insisted he had no hand in the company securing major government flood-control contracts.

Escudero said the issue, which has drawn widespread condemnation following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s disclosure that 15 contractors got nearly P100 billion of the government’s P545-billion flood mitigation budget from July 2022 to May 2025, was being used to harm him politically.

He claimed it was part of a “demolition job” aimed at ousting him from the Senate presidency due to his perceived role in shelving the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte.

While acknowledging that Centerways’ owner, his longtime friend Lawrence Lubiano, made a lump sum donation to his campaign, Escudero emphasized that he is not, nor was ever, a partner in the firm.

“That’s the same innuendo and insinuation that’s always attached just because someone contributed or gave. He has long been my friend and genuinely helped us — even long before this became an issue — and he’s really from Sorsogon,” Escudero said in Filipino in a press conference.

Asked if he helped the company land flood-control projects while he was a senator, Escudero said the firm secured the bulk of its contracts before he entered the Senate.

Lacson for transparency

Lacson has been vocal about the need for transparency in the budget process, especially in light of reports of “ghost” infrastructure projects, most notably in the First Engineering District of Bulacan.

He noted that both senators and representatives can propose insertions to the national budget, with some lawmakers using budget amendments not just to serve their constituents but to secure campaign promises — or worse, personal kickbacks.

He also said that lawmakers who propose insertions for infrastructure projects have the “right” to choose the contractors for the projects.

“When you insert, you have a claim, or royalty, or the right to choose the contractor for the project,” he revealed.

He reiterated his call for full disclosure in the budget process, particularly the public naming of lawmakers who push for insertions. Transparency, Lacson said, would show who was responsible for questionable projects, and serve as a deterrent to corruption.

“It will be easier to trace anomalous or ghost projects to the congressman or senator who proposed insertions for it,” he said.

Fueled by hubris

Lacson described the systemic corruption as fueled by “hubris” — the overconfidence of those involved which leads them to disregard public accountability for personal gain.

“It’s hubris. Those involved in the corruption have become overconfident such that they disregard the public’s perception, opinion, and needs,” he said. “They close their eyes to the public in favor of their greed.”

In his privilege speech on 20 August, Lacson exposed a network of anomalous flood control contractors and proponents.

He urged the people to report irregularities through the SumbongSaPangulo platform and other channels.

“I am hoping the endgame is that the big fish will be held accountable — charged, prosecuted, convicted, and jailed, so they will not be emulated,” Lacson said.

“So long as there are those who exploit the system, others will follow their bad example,” he added.