Toby Tiangco appears before ICI

Navotas Representative Toby Tiangco has been invited to appear before the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) and said he was ready to tell all to the commission how insertions are made in the national budget and who benefits from it. 

Tiangco, who earlier revealed the insertions scheme, said he brought with him the flash drive which contains details of the system of insertions he had presented before the Senate blue ribbon committee.

He had alleged that it was the House Committee on Appropriations Chair and Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co who was behind some P13.8 billion worth of insertions in the 2025 budget. Co has since denied the allegation.

Tiangco said the insertions scheme is becoming clearer now with the most recent testimony of former Bulacan DPWH District Engineer Engineer Henry Alcantara at the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing where the latter said they are implementing anomalous projects allegedly at the behest of former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo and Co who facilitated budgets for these projects for several lawmakers. 

“O, ‘di ba sinabi na si Zaldy (Co) ko, ‘di ba? Kaya nung una pa lang medyo nagdududa na talaga kung ba bakit nag-i-insert ng ganun kalalaking mga pondo, ‘di ba? So ngayon, maliwanag, ‘pag pinagdugtong ninyo yung sinabi ko na nakakapagduda yung pag-insert ng malalaking pondo, sinabi na ni D.E. Alcantara na pag nag-insert ay humihingi ng 20-25%, ‘di ba? So maliwanag na,” he said. 

(Zaldy was mentioned, right? That's why at first, I had my doubts over that huge amount being inserted. So now, it’s becoming clearer. When you connect my statement regarding insertions ... then district engineer Alcantara’s statement regarding 20-25% (commission) ... it’s clear.)

Prior to him, former Senate finance committee chairperson Grace Poe also appeared before the ICI to shed light on the budget process. 

In an interview, Poe denied any involvement in any small committees where alleged illegal insertions were made. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News