MANILA — Malacañang said Cabinet officials would not be exempt from anti-graft and corruption investigations if evidence links them to alleged budget irregularities, emphasizing that accountability applies to all public officials regardless of rank.

Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro made the statement in response to claims that several Cabinet members were behind billions of pesos in alleged budget insertions for 2025, an allegation earlier raised by Senator Panfilo Lacson based on the so-called “Cabral files.”

“Anyone among the Cabinet members who may be involved and for whom there is evidence should continue to be investigated to identify the real culprit,” Castro said in a text message to reporters.

She added that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. would not shield anyone found to be involved. “The President has said that whoever it may be must be held accountable if they are truly involved,” Castro said.

Castro noted that the matter is already under the jurisdiction of proper investigative bodies, including the Office of the Ombudsman and the Department of Justice (DOJ). She urged individuals claiming to have evidence to formally submit it to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure, the Ombudsman, or the DOJ.

Lacson earlier alleged that at least five Cabinet officials had “allocables” worth billions of pesos in the proposed 2025 national budget. (PNA)