P355M appeared in bicam insertion: Lacson

A controversial P355-million allocation flagged in the 2025 national budget matches a specific allegation made by former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez, who claimed Senator Jinggoy Estrada facilitated the fund’s release.

“We also discovered, because Brice Hernandez mentioned that Senator Estrada allegedly funneled funds to Bulacan, specifically to one District Engineering Office (DEO). I asked my staff to check the General Appropriations Act (GAA) to see if there was an insertion amounting to P355 million intended for Bulacan,” Senate Pro Tempore and Blue Ribbon Committee chairperson Panfilo “Ping” Lacson told reporters during the Kapihan sa Senado forum on Thursday.

Lacson said his office confirmed the existence of a P355-million insertion intended for infrastructure projects in Bulacan’s first district — the same figure cited by Hernandez in his accusation against Estrada.

“We found one. There was indeed an insertion, not from the House version, but it appeared after the Bicameral Conference Committee,” he said.

He continued: “It’s clear that it was either inserted in the Senate version or during the bicameral conference committee proceedings.”

According to Lacson, five infrastructure projects have already been awarded under the P355 million allocation. His office is currently reviewing the implementation status and details of these projects.

“Kung may confirmed may P355M na talagang nai-allocate para sa Bulacan and we went further, meron ngang limang projects identified na na-award na, out of the P355M (If it's confirmed that P355 million was really allocated for Bulacan, and we went further there are indeed five identified projects that have already been awarded out of the P355 million),” he said.

“Now my teams are checking anong status ng mga at least 5 projects na yan na di namin alam ang amount. Nasa website naman ng DPWH. We will assess the actual status on the ground,” he added.

Hernandez earlier accused Estrada of manipulating the allocation process to secure funding for select infrastructure projects in Bulacan. Estrada denied the allegations against him, calling Hernandez a “blatant liar."

Lacson emphasized the need to determine who exactly pushed for the insertion.

He said the panel is considering the possibility of inviting former Senator and then-Finance Committee chairperson Grace Poe to shed light on the matter and to trace the origin of the P355 million insertion in the national budget.

Bicameral insertions and allocations are made during the bicameral conference committee's reconciliation of the Senate and House versions of the national budget.