Lacson: Documents show Cabinet billions of pesos in ‘allocables’ in 2025 budget

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Saturday said documents from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and from the camp of the late DPWH Undersecretary Catalina Cabral indicate that at least five Cabinet secretaries and several undersecretaries were linked to “allocables” and or “non-allocables” worth billions of pesos in the proposed 2025 national budget.

In a radio interview, Lacson said the documents showed entries reflecting large amounts allegedly associated with high-ranking executive officials, including one identified only as “ES” with P8.3 billion and former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan with allocables totaling at least P30.5 billion for 2025 alone.

“At least five Cabinet secretaries and some undersecretaries had allocables and or non-allocables, according to the documents,” Lacson said.

“I was surprised at one entry that said ‘ES, P8 billion.’ How did one ‘ES’ get allocables?” he added.

Lacson said Bonoan’s name appeared repeatedly in the documents, including one P5-billion allocation and three additional batches amounting to P25.5 billion, bringing the total to P30.5 billion.

“What is his right to the allocables? I also saw other Cabinet secretaries getting P2 billion each. Why?” Lacson said.

He added that the documents also reflected billions of pesos earmarked for members of the House leadership and party-list groups. Lacson said it remains unclear whether the Cabinet officials cited also had allocations coursed through other departments under the proposed 2025 budget.

Lacson further alleged that at least one Cabinet member, aside from Bonoan, may have benefited from kickbacks linked to anomalous DPWH projects.

He cited earlier testimony by former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, who claimed he personally delivered money to a Cabinet official.

“Apart from Bonoan, at least one more Cabinet member received kickbacks from Bernardo,” Lacson said, noting that the official could be invited to testify once supporting documents are authenticated.

According to Lacson, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee may summon the Cabinet secretaries involved as part of its investigation into alleged anomalous flood control projects, particularly after verification of documents such as Special Allotment Release Orders (SAROs) dated 27 December 2024.

Documents provided to Lacson by Cabral’s camp allegedly show SAROs covering P50 billion in unprogrammed appropriations, including P30 billion for flood control projects, some of which were later validated as ghost projects.

Lacson said Cabral had reached out to him after being implicated by Bernardo during the Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on 14 November and had expressed willingness to testify. Cabral died earlier this month before she could appear before the Senate.

“She indicated she was ready to testify on the SAROs before she died,” Lacson said.

He added that the documents could be authenticated by the Department of Budget and Management through Officer in Charge Rolando Toledo or by the DPWH.

“The information I got is based on documents given to me by Cabral’s lawyer and from documents I obtained from the DPWH. These can be authenticated,” Lacson said.

Lacson also questioned the practice of Cabinet members having “allocables,” which he said had traditionally been associated with lawmakers’ project requests.

“Why should Cabinet secretaries get allocables? I thought allocables were for lawmakers to request projects for their districts, which, to me, is still unacceptable because the National Expenditure Program is the exclusive domain of the executive,” he said.