Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson has revealed that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) diverted at least P50 billion from unprogrammed appropriations in the 2024 national budget to fund infrastructure projects, including ₱30 billion to flood control.

“In 2024 alone, the DPWH diverted P50 billion from unprogrammed appropriations for infrastructure projects, including P30 billion to flood control,” Lacson said in Filipino in a radio interview Tuesday. “This shows how DPWH officials had become comfortable funding projects even if they violated the government’s master plan.”

Lacson said that the funds were spread across multiple congressional districts, revealing a collusion between some lawmakers and DPWH officials.

“The public fund was abused because of this collusion. Lawmakers even gave the DPWH more funds than the education sector,” he said.

He stressed the manipulation of approved appropriations constituted technical malversation.

“When we pass the budget bill, everything is itemized. If you make changes there, that’s technical malversation, even if you have not stolen anything yet,” he said.

Lacson backed Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon’s efforts to realign projects with the government’s infrastructure master plan and praised Senate Finance Committee chair Sherwin Gatchalian for applying the same principle in the Senate’s review of the 2026 budget.

₱P42-B ‘ayuda’ to be scrapped

The senator also disclosed that the Senate will remove P42 billion in “ayuda” funds from the unprogrammed appropriations in the 2026 national budget.

“The House left P42 billion in ayuda under unprogrammed funds, and we will remove it,” Lacson said. “This should be in the regular budget, not contingent funds.”

He said most senators, including Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Gatchalian, shared this stance. Despite recovering from recent surgery, Lacson said he continues to monitor the budget hearings online and lauded Gatchalian’s “thorough scrutiny” that exposed “anomalies, questionable items, and red flags.”

Post-it memos, ghost projects

Lacson also bared that former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan allegedly acted on handwritten “post-it” memos from civilians and non-organic personnel endorsing specific projects.

“I am baffled by the documents I saw, where Bonoan received handwritten memos from civilians. Why was the secretary dealing with them directly?” Lacson said.

He also questioned the so-called “leadership fund” at the DPWH, which Bonoan said consolidated lawmakers’ project proposals in the National Expenditure Program — a system Lacson noted allowed premature political influence.

He cited reports that said some DPWH project requests were altered, such as replacing P1.5 billion worth of multipurpose buildings with P600 million in flood control projects.

“Kickbacks had priority over public needs,” he said.

“From the testimonies of DPWH personnel, it appears that public funds had become nothing more than toys for corrupt officials,” Lacson said. “Projects should stem from regional development plans. But when lawmakers make insertions, they become contractor-driven — that’s why we have substandard and ghost projects.”

Probe to widen

Lacson said the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s probe could expand beyond flood control to include other anomalous projects such as farm-to-market roads.

He said the next hearing, tentatively set for 14 November, may feature a “very important witness” who could link more officials and private individuals to the corruption scandal.

Lacson said he also plans to subpoena retired Marine T/Sgt. Orly Guteza, who claimed to have delivered suitcases of cash to former Speaker Martin Romualdez and ex-Rep. Elizaldy Co.

Guteza was seen in Senate CCTV footage entering Sen. Rodante Marcoleta’s office before testifying last September.

While Romualdez has denied the allegations, a Manila court found discrepancies in Guteza’s affidavit, recommending a preliminary investigation for possible falsification.

“While Guteza’s testimony remains valid, this development may affect his credibility,” Lacson said.

He said the committee will also subpoena the contractor who is renovating Romualdez’s residence to obtain the project logbook and verify Guteza’s claim of cash deliveries made to the former speaker between December 2024 and August 2025.