Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Saturday, January 17, described so-called “allocables” driven by commissions and kickbacks as no better than planned or attempted robbery.
Speaking in a radio interview, Lacson emphasized the importance of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee reviewing the files left by the late former Public Works Undersecretary Catalina Cabral.
“If you submit a ‘wish list’ or allocables even if you have no assurance that it will be included in the final version of the General Appropriations Act… and if your motive is to collect commissions, then it may be likened to attempted, or at the very least, planned robbery,” he said.
Lacson clarified that there is no issue with lawmakers requesting funding for properly studied projects for their constituents. The problem arises when such requests are made while the National Expenditure Program (NEP) is still under development.
“For a congressman or senator to dip fingers into the NEP, that can be likened to attempted robbery if the intention for the allocables is to get commissions,” he said.
He added, “Legislators have no say in the listing of projects in the NEP. The work of Congress is to introduce amendments to the NEP after it is submitted to Congress.”
Lacson stressed that his own institutional amendments are based on vetted agency requests or realignments done in the exercise of his oversight function.
The Blue Ribbon Committee, which he chairs, plans to examine the “Cabral files” in its hearing on Monday, January 19.