Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson on Saturday revealed that Senator Imee Marcos had approximately ₱2.5 billion in “allocable” funds listed under her name in the 2025 national budget, calling into question her recent criticisms that the proposed 2026 spending plan is “tadtad ng pork.”
Lacson cited internal budget documents known as the “Cabral files,” which allegedly showed Marcos among lawmakers who received sizable allocations as early as the National Expenditure Program (NEP) stage, even before congressional insertions were finalized.
“She opened this can of worms,” Lacson said in a radio interview. “She claims the 2026 budget is full of pork, but in the 2025 NEP, her name appears with an allocable amount of about ₱2.5 billion.”
While Lacson acknowledged that the system of “allocables” was later scrapped, he noted that several projects associated with Marcos still survived the bicameral conference committee process and appeared in the final enrolled 2025 budget. Some of these were listed as For Later Release (FLR) items, which, according to Lacson, eventually received funding.
The senator further pointed out what he described as contradictions in Marcos’ public stance. Although she voted against the ratified 2026 budget, citing expanded funding for social assistance programs such as Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients and Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations, Lacson said Marcos had supported similar mechanisms in the past and was even seen personally participating in the distribution of government aid last year.
Lacson also criticized Marcos’ conduct during bicameral deliberations on the 2026 budget, saying she raised no objections while the panel was working on the measure. “We heard nothing from her when she was there in the bicam,” he said.
Beyond the budget dispute, Lacson dismissed Marcos’ allegation that the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee was being pressured to shield powerful figures in an ongoing corruption probe. He denied any interference from Malacañang or Senate leadership, emphasizing that the panel follows evidence wherever it leads.
He noted that while former House Speaker Martin Romualdez was mentioned in testimony, no sworn witness directly implicated him, except for a controversial individual who remains at large.
Reacting to Marcos’ repeated attacks on the committee, Lacson said her remarks had crossed from legitimate criticism into personal insult, undermining the integrity of a body she herself belongs to.
“Perhaps she wants to apply as the ‘meow meow of the Senate,’” Lacson quipped, drawing laughter but underscoring the deepening rift in the chamber.