Lacson confirms P355-M insertion for Bulacan flood projects in 2025 budget

MANILA, Philippines – Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Thursday, September 11, confirmed the insertion of P355 million for flood projects in Bulacan in the 2025 General Appropriations Act.

Lacson said this is based on the research of his staff, after former Bulacan first district assistant engineer Brice Hernandez claimed that Senator Jinggoy Estrada funneled P355 million worth of projects to Hagonoy and Malolos for 2025, allegedly with a 30% “SOP” or kickback.

“Pina-check ko sa GAA kung may insertion na nagkakahalaga ng P355 M na intended sa Bulacan. And we found one. Meron talagang insertion, wala sa HOR version pero lumabas after bicameral conference (BCC). Maliwanag either Senate version or BCC na-insert,” Lacson said.

“Kung may confirmed may P355M na talagang nai-allocate para sa Bulacan and we went further, meron ngang limang projects identified na na-award na, out of the P355 million,” he added.

(I had the GAA checked to see if there was a P355-million insertion intended for Bulacan, and we found one. There was indeed an insertion. It wasn’t in the House version but appeared after the bicameral conference. It’s clear that it was inserted either in the Senate version or during the BCC. If there is a confirmed P355M allocated to Bulacan and we went further, there were indeed five projects identified and awarded, out of the P355 million.)

Estrada had “categorically and vehemently” denied the claims made by Hernandez.

Estrada link?

At the House hearing on Tuesday, September 9, Hernandez presented photos of a purported a December 2022 conversation between him and a certain Beng Ramos, whom he claimed is a staff member of Estrada.

“This was the time na meron pong project na binigay si boss Henry Alcantara kay Ms. Beng Ramos through Ms. Mina of WJ Construction. So, ‘yun ‘yung ginamit na license or contractor. Nandiyan po ‘yung pag-uusap kung kailan magde-deliver ng obligasyon dahil kailangan ni Boss Henry,” Hernandez said during the House hearing.

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WJ Construction was the alleged contractor delivering kickbacks to the Senate, according to Alcantara. Estrada denied that Ramos is under his office. It turned out that Ramos is a personnel of the blue ribbon committee.

Alcantara is the former chief of the Bulacan First District Engineering Office (DEO). He was appointed by then-Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) secretary Mark Villar during the Duterte administration. Hernandez was appointed DEO assistant engineer in July 2022 by then-DPWH secretary Manuel Bonoan.

At Thursday’s press briefing, Lacson said his office obtained CCTV footage showing that “Mina” of WJ Construction visited the Senate building on August 19. He added that WJ Construction will be summoned to the next hearing to clarify which Senate office she visited.

“Tatanungin namin, although may idea kami san siya pumunta, kaninong opisina ang dinalaw niya pero ipapatawag namin kanino siya nagpunta….. Whether or not staff ng blue ribbon committee o legislator, eh di magpaliwanag ang kapwa senador kung siya ay napuntahan. Bakit pumunta ang WJ?” Lacson said.

(We’ll ask, although we already have an idea where she went and whose office she visited but we will summon her to confirm who exactly she met with. Whether it was a staff member of the blue ribbon committee or a legislator, then the senator concerned should explain if it was their office that was visited. Why did WJ go there in the first place?)

Lacson replaced Senator Rodante Marcoleta as blue ribbon chairman, following the leadership shake-up in the Senate on Monday, September 8.

The fourth blue ribbon probe into anomalous government flood projects is set for September 18. – Rappler.com