Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Saturday disclosed that documents known as the “Cabral files” allegedly implicate at least five Cabinet secretaries and several undersecretaries in billions of pesos worth of allocable and non-allocable funds under the proposed 2025 national budget.

In a statement, the Senate President Pro Tempore said the documents were obtained from the camp of the late Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Catalina Cabral, as well as from DPWH records. According to Lacson, the files indicate that certain Cabinet officials were assigned substantial budgetary allocations—raising serious concerns about governance and accountability.

Lacson cited one document entry referring to an “ES” who was allegedly assigned ₱8.3 billion in allocable funds. He also claimed that former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan had allocations amounting to at least ₱30.5 billion for 2025 alone.

“I was surprised to see entries for Cabinet members. What gives them the right to allocables?” Lacson said in a radio interview, adding that other Cabinet officials were reportedly assigned around ₱2 billion each.

The senator further alleged that billions of pesos were earmarked for House leadership and party-list groups, and claimed that aside from Bonoan, at least one other Cabinet member may have benefited from kickbacks. This allegation was reportedly based on testimony from former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, who allegedly admitted to delivering money to a Cabinet official.

Lacson said the officials named in the documents may be summoned by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee once the records—particularly Special Allotment Release Orders (SAROs) dated December 27, 2024—are authenticated. The documents reportedly show that ₱50 billion in unprogrammed appropriations was released, including ₱30 billion for flood control projects, many of which were later found to be “ghost projects.”

He added that the authenticity of the documents could be verified by Budget Officer-in-Charge Rolando Toledo or by the DPWH itself. Lacson noted that Cabral had intended to testify on the SAROs before her death.

“I received these documents from Cabral’s lawyer and from DPWH records. They can be authenticated,” Lacson said.

The senator also reiterated his longstanding objection to the concept of allocables, stressing that the National Expenditure Program is the exclusive prerogative of the executive branch.

— Via TPNC Global Newsdesk