Lacson flags P2.5B ‘allocables’ tied to Imee Marcos in 2025 budget

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson on Sunday flagged what he said were P2.5 billion worth of “allocables” linked to Imee Marcos in the 2025 National Expenditure Program (NEP), questioning her criticism of alleged pork barrel items in the proposed 2026 national budget and her silence during bicameral conference deliberations.

In a radio interview, Lacson said documents he received from the camp of the late Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Catalina Cabral showed that Marcos had allocables amounting to P2.5 billion in the 2025 NEP.

“Marcos had allocables worth P2.5 billion in the NEP according to the Cabral files. Most allocables were moved from the NEP to the 2025 GAA via insertions in the bicam where Sen. Marcos had at least the same amount based on DPWH records,” Lacson said, adding that while some of the insertions were flagged for later release, part of Marcos’ funds for local road projects had already been released.

Lacson took issue with Marcos’ recent rejection of the ratified 2026 budget bill, which she criticized for containing what she described as “giniling” or fragmented pork through increased funding for assistance programs such as the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) and the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS).

“She makes a lot of noise criticizing the 2026 budget for having ‘pork’ but she had ‘pork’ in the budget, at least in the 2025 GAA. So she has no moral ascendancy to criticize,” Lacson said.

He also questioned why Marcos, who was part of the Senate contingent in the bicameral conference committee, did not raise the issue of pork during deliberations.

“In the first place, she was a member of the Senate contingent in the bicameral conference committee. Why didn’t she raise the issue that there was pork? We heard nothing from her then, when she was in the bicam,” he added.

Lacson further noted that Marcos had previously been present during the distribution of government assistance, despite now criticizing similar programs as soft pork.

“She was so fond of attending such distributions, and now she says there is ‘pork giniling’ in the budget? People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones,” he said.

The senator also rebuked Marcos for what he described as baseless criticisms of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, which he chairs, particularly its investigation into the alleged flood control fund scandal. Lacson denied claims that he barred senators from linking certain personalities to the probe or that he unduly limited questioning during hearings.

“In the first place, what pressure is she talking about when she never attended any of the hearings I chaired?” Lacson said, explaining that time limits were imposed to allow all senators a chance to ask questions.

He said he was puzzled by what he described as efforts by some lawmakers, including Marcos and Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, to disrupt the investigation.

“The problem is that there are those who want to disrupt the investigation. I don’t know what their end game is,” Lacson said.

Asked about speculation that pork allocations could be used to influence House members in a potential impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte, Lacson declined to comment, citing the Senate’s constitutional role as a possible impeachment court.

“Under the Constitution, the House has the power to impeach, and the Senate has the power to convict or acquit. So since we could be senator-judges in a potential impeachment case, we cannot comment especially on the merits of the case,” he said.