Metro Manila, Philippines – Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson confirmed that ₱100 billion in projects were inserted in the current budget during closed-door bicameral meetings, but President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was not the source.
“You and I agree na totoo yung listahan ng ₱100 billion talagang nasingit sa bicam,” Lacson said during the third day of plenary debates on the proposed ₱6.793-trillion national budget on Tuesday, Nov. 18.
[Translation: You and I agree that the list of ₱100 billion was indeed inserted during the bicam.]
He was speaking to Senate finance committee chairman Win Gatchalian.
“But yung sinasabi ni Zaldy Co on social media as posted na nagdeliver siya ng ₱25 billion representing the 25% commission diumano para kay presidente, that I will attest na hindi totoo,” Lacson said.
[Translation: But what Zaldy Co said on social media – that he supposedly delivered ₱25 billion representing a 25% commission for the President – I can attest that this is not true.]
Lacson, who chairs the blue ribbon committee probing anomalous flood control projects, said former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo called him over the weekend to deny Co’s claim – effectively clearing the chief executive.
During marathon hearings, Bernardo admitted facilitating budget insertions and kickbacks and named several officials involved, including lawmakers.
“Napag-alaman ko from Usec. Bernardo na may mga tao sa Malacañang [I learned from Usec. Bernardo that there were people in Malacañang], not the president, not authorized by the president, who misrepresented him,” Lacson said.
Lacson identified former Presidential Legislative Liaison Office Undersecretary Adrian Carlos Bersamin.
“He name-dropped the president, making Zaldy Co believe na utos ng pangulo na ipasok sa bicam yung insertions na ₱100 billion [that the ₱100-billion insertions in the bicam were ordered by the President],” Lacson said.
He also mentioned former Education Undersecretary Trygve Olaivar.
“Sabi niya (Bernardo) ‘naghatid ako ng pera as kickback but not to the president but to Usec. Olaivar,’” Lacson said.
[Translation: Bernardo said, ‘I delivered money as kickbacks – but not to the president, rather to Usec. Olaivar.’]
Lacson said Bernardo delivered ₱8 billion to the undersecretaries – equivalent to 16% of around ₱82 billion inserted for DPWH projects – in 10 tranches. He recalled that the cash was loaded into the armored vans of Bersamin and Olaivar in a hotel parking lot between March and April.
An additional ₱1 billion was delivered to former Public Works Secretary Manny Bonoan, Bernardo said.
Courtesy resignations
Lacson said he had asked Bernardo to put his statements in writing. He handed the handwritten document to Marcos, who subsequently asked for the courtesy resignations of the two undersecretaries.
“In this case, courtesy resignation is a euphemism for firing,” Lacson said.
He said he was not defending the president.
“Yung gusto kasi ng iba, paniwalaan natin na si pangulo ang nag-insert, nag-utos mag-insert. [Some people want us to believe that the president made the insertion, that he ordered the insertion.] It does not make sense to me,” Lacson said.
“Common sense: siya ang nag-utos, ive-veto niya? Siya ang nag-utos, i-FLR (for later release) niya?” he added.
[Translation: Common sense: if he ordered it, would he veto it? If he ordered it, would he place it under for later release?]
He was referring to the ₱1.15 billion in infrastructure projects in Palawan, Abra, and Cebu.
Gatchalian asked if two undersecretaries could make lawmakers believe the president ordered the ₱100 billion insertion, to which Lacson replied: “Perception. Sinong hindi maniniwala pag Bersamin ang nagsabi,” adding that the undersecretary is related to former Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin. The younger Bersamin is the nephew of the ex-Palace official.
[Translation: It’s perception. Who wouldn’t believe it if Bersamin was the one saying it?]
The two Bersamins and Olaivar have resigned.
