Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Friday, December 26, called for a full-blown investigation into allegations linking several Cabinet officials to budget insertions in Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) infrastructure projects, warning that rushing to dismiss the claims could fuel suspicions of a cover-up.
Lacson said it is premature for Malacañang to brand the allegations as mere “hearsay,” especially as evidence has already surfaced during hearings of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, which he chairs.
“Instead of pursuing an honest-to-goodness inter-agency investigation by using whatever probative value was unearthed mainly from the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearings, to prematurely dismiss the probable involvement of some members of the Cabinet as ‘hearsay’ may be interpreted as a euphemism for ‘cover-up,’” Lacson said.
The senator was responding to earlier remarks by Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro, who rejected allegations against Cabinet officials as hearsay and said the Palace would only act on documents authenticated by the DPWH.
The controversy stems from claims by Batangas 1st District Representative Leandro Leviste, who said the late Public Works Undersecretary Catalina Cabral had provided him documents allegedly naming Cabinet officials as proponents of DPWH budget insertions.
Lacson said the Blue Ribbon Committee has already gathered substantial evidence, including sworn testimonies supported by official budget documents that corroborate admissions made under oath.
He added that investigators could also identify a “web of accounts” to trace the flow of funds with the assistance of the Anti-Money Laundering Council.
Warning against ignoring mounting public anger, Lacson said widespread corruption behind failed and ghost infrastructure projects has eroded trust in government.
“In the final analysis, we cannot blame the public, led by the Catholic Church, other religious sectors and civil groups for their unrelenting display of anger and distrust in government,” he said.