DPWH exec who sought budget insertion named

Sen. Panfilo Lacson yesterday 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.

- NEIL JAYSON SERVALLOS

In an interview over dzBB, Lacson said the official of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), 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 Senator 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.

When asked if the DPWH official was Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral, Sotto replied: "That's what was relayed to me." He clarified that he did not speak with Cabral directly but only through an emissary.

"Maybe it is her who knows the people who put insertions in the budget," he said.

Public records show Cabral as DPWH undersecretary for planning, public-private partnerships, and information management services.

She could not be reached immediately yesterday for comment.

Sotto first bared the incident two weeks ago when he was interpellating Lacson's privilege speech on flood control anomalies.

Lacson added that Sotto turned down the offer.

"Senator Sotto told me he did not submit anything because we are advocating transparency and good governance. The question now is, how many members of the House and Senate made insertions?" he said.

In a separate interview, Sotto confirmed Lacson's statements, saying someone relayed an offer in behalf of the DPWH, asking if he was interested in submitting projects for inclusion in the NEP.

"Senator Lacson's story is true.

Someone relayed to me, asking if I am interested to submit for the NEP.

I said no because it would look like I inserted in the NEP. I never did that ever," Sotto said.