P355-M insertion for Bulacan found in 2025 national budget — Lacson

A total of P355 million insertion for flood control projects for Bulacan was found in the 2025 national budget, Senate President Pro Tempore Ping Lacson said Thursday. 

Lacson, who also chairs the Senate blue ribbon committee, said the P355 million-worth of funding for five flood management projects in Bulacan were not included in the national expenditure program and House General Appropriations Bill (GAB).

He said it may be inserted under the Senate GAB or during the deliberations of the bicameral conference committee on the 2025 GAA. 

“We found one. Meron talagang insertion na wala sa House version pero lumabas sa Bicam. Maliwanag na either sa Senate version o sa Bicam 'yun,” Lacson told reporters during the Kapihan sa Senado. 

(We found one. There was an insertion that was not included in the House version but was in the bicam. It is clear it was inserted in the Senate versio or bicam.)

The legislator said they have yet to confirm if the insertion was allocated in only one or multiple line items. He also said they have yet to identify the proponent who introduced the insertion. 

“Identify natin kung sinong proponents ng amendments. Kasi kung hindi, paano matutukoy kung sino ‘yung legislator na nag-insert o amend? Walang record eh,” Lacson added. 

(We should identify the proponents because if not how can we know who included the amendment? We have no records.)

Former Bulacan assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez earlier told a House Infrastructure Committee hearing that Senator Jinggoy Estrada allegedly dumped P355M infrastructure projects in Bulacan.

Estrada denied the allegations and said he would sue Hernandez.

Meanwhile, Lacson said the Senate panel will extend inter-parliamentary courtesy to the House appropriations committee and to former senator Grace Poe in a bid to identify the proponent of the budget amendment. 

He also said the committee will continue pursuing evidence-based investigations amid possibility of more senators being involved in the P142 billion budget insertions. 

“Hindi ko sinasabi na aabot sa walang quorum. Pero ang sabi ko nga, pag nag-imbestiga tayo dapat naka-blindfold tayo. I think our colleagues understand where I am coming from. Bakit pa tayo nagsasasgawa ng investigation kung mamimili lang tayo parang di naman fair,” Lacson added. 

(I am not saying we will not reach quorum when that happen but like I said before, we should have a blindfold approach when investigating. I think our colleagues understand where I am coming form. Why are we conducting investigations if we will not be fair.)

The Senate bluerRibbon committee is set to resume its probe on the alleged anomalous flood management projects on Thursday, September 18, 2025, with Lacson taking the helm following the change in leadership. —AOL, GMA Integrated News