SENATE President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Friday called for a “genuine, inter-agency investigation” into allegations linking several Cabinet officials to multibillion-peso budget insertions for Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) infrastructure projects, warning that dismissing the claims outright could be perceived by the public as a cover-up. Lacson said in a statement that Malacañang should not hastily brand the allegations as mere hearsay, stressing that evidence has already emerged from hearings of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, which he chairs, particularly in connection with the proposed 2025 national budget. Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro had earlier dismissed claims that Cabinet secretaries were involved in infrastructure budget insertions as “hearsay” with “no probative value.” Castro said the Palace would only respond to allegations supported by documents officially authenticated by the DPWH. Lacson countered that the Senate inquiry had already come up with substantial material, including sworn testimonies and documentary evidence. “The evidence includes testimonies, supported by official documents in the budget books, such as itemized lists that corroborate the statements of resource persons whose involvement in the plunder of public funds has been clearly established through admissions against interest, made under oath,” he said. He added that investigators are also looking into a possible “web of accounts” that could reveal the movement of public funds, noting that the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) is helping track suspicious financial transactions linked to the projects in question. The allegations center on budget insertions, projects reportedly added to the DPWH spending program during the budget process, that have been linked to unfinished, substandard, or even non-existent infrastructure projects. The claims have revived long-standing public concerns over pork barrel-style practices and systemic corruption in public works spending. Lacson warned that ignoring the issue could further fuel public anger and erode trust in government institutions. “In the final analysis, we cannot blame the public, led by the Catholic Church, other religious sectors, and civil society groups, for their unrelenting display of anger and distrust in government,” he said. He reiterated that a coordinated investigation involving Congress, the DPWH, the Department of Budget and Management, the AMLC, and law enforcement agencies is essential to establish accountability and restore public confidence in the budget process. Malacanang Press Officer Claire Castro downplayed Lacson’s insinuations of a cover-up. Castro had dismissed as “hearsay” with “no probative value” the alleged involvement of some Cabinet members in the budget insertions. “With all due respect to Senator Lacson, it is the alleged ‘Cabral’s files’ without yet being authenticated by the DPWH that remain hearsay and without probative value. We are only talking about the unverified ‘Leviste list,’” Castro said. Castro also dared Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste to substantiate his 2025 budget insertion claims with “verified facts and documents.” Leviste had said that Castro should check with Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon on the authenticity of the list of proponents of the infrastructure budget insertions in 2025, which allegedly includes names of Cabinet secretaries. “Why should this representation prove the alleged ‘Cabral’s files’ he claims to possess,” Castro said in a separate statement. Castro also brushed aside reports linking First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos to the alleged infrastructure project in Cauayan City, Isabela. Allegations had been raised that the first lady sought a P100-million infrastructure project to be charged to the DPWH budget under the 2025 National Expenditure Program. Based on reports, the alleged project appears under the “OP” category with a remark: “Care of First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos with request letter from District Representative Faustino Inno Dy.” Castro said “the alleged Cabral lists or the DPWH leaks are still questionable,” referring to the documents reportedly released by the late DPWH undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral. “There is no proof that they really come from DPWH. Unless the documents come from DPWH, we could not give the alleged ‘Cabral files’ or any list from an unknown source any probative value,” Castro said. “It is nothing but hearsay and can be treated as mere fabricated documents. Nonetheless, nobody can even assert that such project pushed through,” she said.