Lacson warns vs ‘cover-up’ as Palace calls Cabinet budget insertion claims ‘hearsay’MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Ping Lacson said Malacañang shouldn’t be quick to brand allegations that budget insertions were made by Cabinet officials as “hearsay.”In a statement on Friday, December 26, Lacson argued that “significant evidence had been unearthed” from the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s flood control investigation. “[T]o prematurely dismiss the probable involvement of some members of the Cabinet as ‘hearsay’ may be interpreted as a euphemism for ‘cover-up,’” Lacson said. This comes after Palace press officer Claire Castro said she would not recognize the documents Rep. Leandro Leviste (Batangas, 1st District) claims to have on the alleged budget insertions, which include Cabinet members. Castro clarified on Friday that the “Cabral files” she was referring to were those that have not been verified by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) itself. Some of them include former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, who had served the first half of the Marcos Jr. administration.

Source: Philippine Star December 26, 2025 14:19 UTC