Lacson: DPWH exec sought budget insertions from Sotto

Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Sunday identified an “Undersecretary Cabral” as the senior public works official who reached out to Sen. Vicente Sotto III shortly after the May 2025 elections to invite him to make insertions in the 2026 national budget.

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In a radio interview over dzBB, Lacson said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) official phoned Sotto's office to solicit proposed projects for the National Expenditure Program (NEP).

"One 'Undersecretary Cabral' called Sotto's staff and told them to insert what they wanted to insert. If Sen. Sotto was one of those called by that executive, who else could have been contacted similarly and submitted their proposed insertions?" Lacson said in Filipino.

Sotto first revealed the incident two weeks ago while interpellating during Lacson's privilege speech on flood control anomalies.

Lacson said Sotto rejected the offer.