Metro Manila, Philippines – At least five Cabinet secretaries had billions of pesos of “allocable” funds in the 2025 budget as seen from files of the late Public Works Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral, according to Senate President Pro Tempore Ping Lacson.
“Allocable” funds, as explained before by retired Public Works Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, are the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) pork barrel allocations of district representatives lodged in the National Expenditure Program.
Cabral, a central figure in the flood control corruption scandal, told the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee that she made a “parametric formula” for the “allocable” funds as instructed by former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan.
In a news release on Saturday, Dec. 27, Lacson said the Cabinet members who had “allocables” included a certain “ES,” who had P8.3 billion, and Bonoan, who had at least P30.5 billion.
“Why should Cabinet secretaries get allocables? I thought the 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 department,” he said.
Former Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who stepped down after being linked to the controversy, said he was “aghast and outraged” at the insinuation.
Bersamin said Cabral’s files must be “thoroughly scrutinized to unmask those behind the budget manipulation,” adding he is willing to cooperate with any probe.
“I emphatically state that I did not ever request, endorse, approve, or authorize any DPWH project or budget allocation at any stage of the budget process,” Bersamin said in a statement.
“I also deny having instructed anyone, whether inside or outside of the government, to use my name or that of my former office for any such purpose,” he said.
Malacañang, meanwhile, said those who have evidence against Cabinet members must submit it to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure, the Department of Justice, or the Office of the Ombudsman.
“Sabi ng Pangulo, kahit sino pa yan, kailangan managot kung sila man ay totoong sangkot,” Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said.
[Translation: The president said whoever they may be, they should be held accountable if they are truly involved in the alleged irregularities.]
Possible agenda for next blue ribbon hearing
For his part, Lacson said the five Cabinet members may be invited to the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s investigation into flood control project anomalies after they authenticate relevant documents obtained through Cabral’s lawyer.
The papers include special allotment release orders (SAROs) dated Dec. 27, 2024, which involved the release of P50 billion in unprogrammed appropriations. Of the amount, P30 billion was allocated for flood control projects. Lacson said many were validated to be ghost or non-existent projects.
The senator said the authentication of the documents may be done by Budget officer-in-charge Rolando Toledo or the DPWH, as Cabral has died.
Cabral was declared dead after being found unconscious and unresponsive at the bottom of a ravine on Kennon Road in Tuba, Benguet.
He said the late DPWH official had shown willingness to testify on the SAROs before she died.
Aside from the five Cabinet members, Lacson said the documents also show some undersecretaries had “allocables” and “non-allocables,” which are the department’s core projects and big-ticket items that are national in scope.
The senator said there were billions of pesos for the House leadership and party-list groups.
Same documents obtained by Rep. Leviste?
Lacson also confirmed on Sunday that Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste previously requested to meet him “to seek advice on how to go about the Cabral files, etc.”
Leviste said Cabral had given him documents purportedly listing government officials who were proponents of budget insertions for flood control projects.
RELATED: Teary-eyed Batangas Rep. Leviste cites arm-twisting to silence him about Cabral files
The senator said he has yet to meet the neophyte lawmaker and could not confirm yet the similar items in the Cabral files that they have in their possession.
