Ping disputes Imee’s claims on budget, Blue Ribbon
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Sunday rebuked Sen. Imee Marcos for purportedly making false and unsubstantiated claims about the government’s 2026 budget and the Senate’s blue ribbon committee.
“She makes a lot of noise criticizing the 2026 budget for having ‘pork’ but she had ‘pork’ in the budget,” Lacson said in a statement, adding that Imee herself was part of the bicameral conference committee that approved the 2026 budget and that she herself enjoyed pork barrel in the 2025 budget.
The senate president pro tempore released the statement as Sen. Marcos mocked the budget panel for allegedly trying to hide pork barrel, which she derided as “pork giniling,” by chopping it up and distributing it in the budget.
“She has no moral ascendancy to criticize,” Lacson said. “In the first place, she was a member of the Senate contingent in the bicameral conference committee. Why didn’t she raise the issue that there was pork? We heard nothing from her then, when she was in the bicam.”
Moreover, Lacson said Sen. Marcos even enjoyed the early release last year of billions that were set aside for her in the government’s 2025 National Expenditure Program (NEP).
“Marcos had allocables worth P2.5 billion in the NEP according to the Cabral files. Most allocables were moved from the NEP to the 2025 GAA (General Appropriations Act) via insertions in the bicam where Sen. Marcos had at least the same amount based on DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) records,” Lacson explained.
“While part of the insertions were flagged for later release (FLR), part of her FLR allocables had been released,” he said in an interview on radio dzBB.
Lacson conceded that Sen. Marcos rejected the 2026 budget bill due to increases in soft pork, which she called “pork giniling,” she enjoyed pork barrel in the 2025 GAA and the distribution of pork barrel as government aid.
“She was so fond of attending such distributions, and now she says there is ‘pork giniling’ in the budget? You know, if you don’t have any moral ascendancy, just keep quiet because it will come back to you. People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones,” he said.
Never attended panel
Lacson scored Sen. Marcos as well for her baseless criticisms of the blue ribbon committee, which he chairs, particularly in its investigation into the flood control scandal.
He debunked her claim that he banned members from linking personalities, such as former Speaker Martin Romualdez, to the issue.
“In the first place, what pressure is she talking about when she never attended any of the hearings I chaired?” he said.
“I have said before that the best response to nonsense is silence. But when she starts insulting, I cannot disregard it anymore. By insulting the blue ribbon committee, she is undermining its integrity. Why does she not attend and ask questions?” he added.
When asked what could be behind Sen. Marcos’ actions, Lacson said: “She might want to apply as the Senate’s ‘meow-meow.’ We don’t want that but it seems someone is intent on applying for the post.”
Meanwhile, Lacson declined to speculate on claims that the “pork” in the budget would be dangled before House members for the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte.
“Under the Constitution, the House has the power to impeach, and the Senate has the power to convict or acquit. So since we could be senator-judges in a potential impeachment case, we cannot comment especially on the merits of the case,” he said.
