MANILA — Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said allocables motivated by commissions and kickbacks are no better than attempted or planned robbery, as he underscored the need for the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to scrutinize documents left behind by the late Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Catalina Cabral.

Lacson said submitting a “wish list” of allocables with the intent of collecting commissions, even without assurance that such items will be included in the final General Appropriations Act, could be considered akin to robbery.

“If you submit a ‘wish list’ or allocables even if you have no assurance that it will be included in the final version of the General Appropriations Act… and if your motive is to collect commissions, then it may be likened to attempted, or at the very least, planned robbery,” he said in an interview on DZMM radio.

He said there is no issue when lawmakers seek funding for projects that are properly studied as part of their duty to constituents, but stressed that this should not be done while the National Expenditure Program (NEP) is still being prepared.

Lacson noted that his own institutional amendments to the budget were based on vetted requests from agencies or realignments made pursuant to his oversight function.

“For a congressman or senator to dip fingers into the NEP, that can be likened to attempted robbery if the intention for the allocables is to get commissions,” he said.

“Legislators have no say in the listing of projects in the NEP. The work of Congress is to introduce amendments to the NEP after it is submitted to Congress,” he added.

The so-called “Cabral files” are among the documents the Blue Ribbon Committee, chaired by Lacson, is set to tackle during its hearing on Monday, Jan. 19. Lacson said he will ask DPWH representatives to authenticate the documents allegedly from Cabral that are in his possession and those held by other individuals.

“I will apply fairness — any document the DPWH does not authenticate, including those in my possession, will not be made part of the Blue Ribbon Committee’s records,” he said.

Meanwhile, Lacson said the expected absence of former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan at the Jan. 19 hearing will not delay the committee’s investigation, but could affect Bonoan’s case.

“It’s on him because he has to explain the submission of false data on grid coordinates to Malacanang. At Monday’s hearing, resource persons from the DPWH will testify. So it’s on him to air his side,” he said.

Lacson said the committee will also ask the Department of Justice to confirm whether it approved Bonoan’s request to extend his stay in California due to the postponement of his wife’s eye operation to Feb. 15.

He added that he may raise with Senate President Vicente Sotto III and other committee members the possibility of allowing Bonoan to attend via videoconferencing, provided he appears at the Philippine embassy or consulate.

“If he would attend through videoconferencing, it must be in the embassy grounds where the oath can be administered to him,” Lacson said.

Lacson also said the committee invited former DPWH undersecretary Roberto Bernardo to shed light on an alleged attempt by former police chief Nicolas Torre III to take him into custody, adding that while Torre was not invited, he is welcome to attend the hearing.

He further said at least two resource persons are expected to testify on the purchase of a house and lot in South Forbes in April 2023 by former Speaker Martin Romualdez, allegedly using contractor Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya II as a “front.”

“I obtained copies of the deed of absolute sale and the checks used in the payment,” Lacson said in an interview on DZBB radio.

He added that while Discaya was not named as the vendee in the transaction, the buyer was a corporation whose substantial shareholder has “ties” to the former Speaker.