Lacson, ibinunyag ang isyu sa ‘congtractors’ at anomalya sa budget | Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho Podcast

How are you Senator Marco Leta?

I don't want to talk about it.

You said that the other day, there were a lot of senators who had an insertion in the 2025 budget. Yes. Are the names of the senators that are being released correct? If you were able to do it without being arrested by the court, why can't other senators and congressmen do it? Because the argument now is that legislators should just make laws, not involve in projects that should be carried out by the executive branch.

That's right.

Why can't they follow your template as a legislator? I don't know about them. Senator Escudero, it seems, connected the insertions to the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte. The ones that were signed by the impeachment were the ones that were given a large amount of funds. What Justice Carpio said, it would not have been possible that the President did not know of the insertions because out of the 400 billion, he has some venetoes. So he should have just venetoed everything. What is your reaction to that? Even the politicians that they colluded with, what is that? They lost their consensus?

They forgot their consensus because of their car.

The picture of the disquiet that I saw today, what is that?

Because I know that Mayor Vigas is an enemy of the mother. The first thing that came to my mind is, how could he send it to Tito?

Barzaga posted it.

We have a saying in the committee, if you follow the rules, you will be more... First of all, how is your hearing with the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee? It will continue, but if there are no major developments, plus we will increase the budget. And then on the 10th, because your house is talking about giving them an extension of three days from October 10 so that after they finish, the budget will be transmitted to the Senate, the so-called House Gov.

You will invite former Speaker Maldes?

Yes, through the leadership. No, the invitation, the notice will be sent to Speaker Bojee D. V, right? Tosino D. V. Now, if he will allow it and he will say that told to go, well, he is here to ask. Because while the implication to him came from Sgt. Gutesa, and as of now, there is no formal or official refutation from any other witness or witnesses. The 100 billion plus insertions,

you said the other day that there are also many senators

who have received or had insertions in the 2025 budget.

Yes, sure.

Who are the ones who did not receive? Is it correct to say the names?

I don't know because when we were in caucus, majority caucus, I also felt the pain of my fellow countrymen. I explained to them that it was just an incident that almost all senators of the 19th Congress said. The overarching reason why I mentioned that because in times of crisis, regarding the platform tour projects, we should start with the 2026 General Appropriations Bill and not to be too picky, especially with local infrastructure projects.

Because people are already angry with the so-called insertions. Although, I have already admitted to them that the insertion is not illegal per se.

It's an amendment.

It's our constitutional mandate, duty to amend. Because we are in the authorization phase of the budget process.

Senator Escudero, it seems like he connected the insertions, ghost projects, etc. The projects that I mentioned, to the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte. But it seems like it was connected. The ones that were signed by the impeachment, those were the ones who were given a big fund.

I was part of the Blue Ribbon when I was already arrested. There was no connection us and I will not be distracted by the noise, by the netizens who will come out to distract. I will not be distracted. Our discussion, at least with my other colleagues, is only about the evidence.

You also said that 67 congressmen are contractors. My question is, when will you name those 67?

I don't have a name.

You know, the 67 contractors who became congressmen or congressmen contractors, I got that from a member of the House. Because it was just the beginning of the 19th Congress in 2022. We were talking and I asked him, By the way, how many congressmen are there now? He said, my last number is 67.

I didn't specify who they are. I was just curious because he was telling me that congressmen became contractors, contractors became congressmen. For me, that's a red flag because it's a conflict of interest.

But as far as you know, Senator, does it start and end with Ko as far as the Congress is concerned?

No. Where the evidence leads us, that's where we will go. I don't know if it will end with the former congressman Ko and now him. That's why I said that I don't need to say goodbye to my congressman Ko because he resigned. So we will send him an invitation and if he doesn't heed the invitation, and obviously he's not here, the next thing he'll do is to file a subpoena. If he doesn't understand or respect the subpoena, we will contact him. If someone will file a motion, he will be issued a warrant of arrest.

Senator Lakson, what does it look like to you? Because in the past few weeks, it's been shocking, with anomalies coming out to the tune of billions, trillions, even when I put the three years together. Why did we reach this point, when I am actually spending a lot of money on flood control projects?

Because we are having a hard time. If we go back to the history of the budget, it seems like they already agreed to 2025. They are hoping for 2023, 2024. Meaning, I can say that they agreed because even the constitutional provision that the education sector is given

as the highest budgetary priority, that was also violated. Well, of course, the details of this, in the Supreme Court, that was also the answer of my colleagues during the interpellation. Because I was wondering, how did the DBCC hearing. The explanation or justification of the DBM, I asked Secretary Pangandaman,

I said, it seems like you became an accessory after the fact. Because in the President's message, the President's budget in the 2025 NEP, the President's Budget, it was clearly enumerated there what constitutes the education sector, DepEd, SUCs, TESDA, and higher education, CHED. But when it was completed, they justified it including PMA, PNPA, Development Academy of the Philippines,

Local Government Academy, just to justify that the education sector is still bigger. I remember that. So I called them, it looks like you're an accessory after the fact

because you're trying to justify what's obviously unconstitutional. So hopefully, in 2026, this will be a wake-up call. It's like a catharsis. We all got corrected. In fact, we talked to Senator Servin Gatselen,

who is the chairman of our Finance Committee, his first suggestion is to have a great reset in the Senate, meaning to have zero, no insertion. If that is possible, if that is supported by most of our fellow citizens, I will support that. It's about time that we should make the Senate lead the way to set the example that we are right. Let's listen to the President's message, his main message that really touched all of us,

the minds of our fellow countrymen felt ashamed.

I know you are zero pork barrel ever since. Is the pork barrel issue connected to insertions, ghost projects, etc.?

Obviously, because we have evidence, there are commissions, 25%, 5-6%, passing through, the less than 40% is still there. It comes out when we count, it's only around 30 plus percent. The one that goes to the project, now, a lot of it was opened here when we did the name. That, by the way,

when giving an estimate, for example, in one project, it was overpriced. Meaning, overestimated. They put an allowance of 20%. I remember the call of Cong. Leandro Leviste,

we can reduce the budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways by 20%. It's a good call. However, if the people are still there, who are not used to their being in danger, the project will suffer. If the thieves are still there, and their act of being dangerous is not tolerated, the project will suffer more. Because you reduced 20%, say, 100 million,

you made 80 million, which is fine. But if you still steal, you will reduce the 40% or 30% that you left, maybe only 15% will be left, the infrastructure project suffers.

If you were able to do it without receiving pork barrel, why can't other senators and congressmen? Because the argument now is that legislators should just be making laws, not being involved in projects that the executive branch should be implementing.

That's right.

Why can't they follow your template as a legislator?

I don't know about them. They should be the ones to ask who will get the so-called pork barrel. The Constitutional Court declares that the law, the jurisprudence, has become part of the law of the land. So, I always say that I am re-elected even though I don't have pork barrel. the law of the land. I'm not relaxed as a senator. So I don't know why you need to PR the pork barrel. Because there are also other reasons.

These are the people you owe money to, that's why you won over their country, their province. As such, I will give a project. That's where the mistakes happen. Because if we follow the budgeting process, there are congressmen participating in the local development councils.

They will be able to debate and discuss that we need this project in our district, which is being counted by our province and the counties. I hope that the budget call a budget call and then the one who was surprised to be in the National Expenditure Program only, who is in the exclusive domain of the executive, there was an insertion. That was shocking. It was the first time I heard of what is called a leadership fund.

To Bonoan?

Yes. three DPWH para nyon hundred three billion again I'd like to reiterate Indian a man la ha sin a Sabina ting bas a meron insertion a meron commission it doesn't follow pero pabigan a man a tino executive brass now going you can laman dato now mugging pool to the full extent the budget preparation. I love President Bongbong Marcos after all. He is the trigger mechanism.

If he didn't say, you are so shameful, and he opened the mind of the people who have the right to vote, you see there are people who are dying, people dying? People are losing their homes. So my team, my staff, and I, were inspired by the President's message. I said, this is the opportunity, this is the opportunity

that we should grab. We should continue our investigation, our investigation. And that's what happened.

We chose case studies, if you remember, We also did our own investigation and that's what happened.

We chose case studies, if you remember, right?

We chose 6 case studies in different places.

We also saw 6 ghost projects.

We submitted them. The USB, the flash drive, the ombudsman went here because their legislature or budget is filing, we gave them USB. Because before they went, the AMLOC also went here. I learned that they cannot move without a formal complaint to be filed. So we told the ombudsman, we told Secretary Remulia, I told Secretary Vince Dizon, I told Mayor Remulia, Secretary Vince Dizon, and Mayor Magalong, this is the plus drive, it's complete, all attachments, all our findings, all the evidence is there.

After you file a formal complaint, you request to AMLACAC to freeze the bank accounts. That's what happened. There are many processes and hopefully, the government will be able to the 400 billion, he has some venetoed.

So he should have just venetoed all of them. The fact that he vetoed the others means he knew of the 400 billion plus insertions, what is your reaction to that?

That's the opinion of former Justice Carpio. For me, if all of this is vetoed by the President, who said that he can no longer recognize the turnover or the non-transfit in your President's budget, if all of this is vetoed, what will be left in the budget? the high priority in projects when we implement John Diva so conator my appointment a season party now The man I got a counterpart remote JICA or Koyka and South Korea

partner nothing so some particular now, I'm a Okay, I some to lie now my lucky Pagoda was in the motto to loy then the one I am counterpart fun foreign They have their own opinion. They have their own supporters. They have their own DEOs that they have talked to. They have their own contractors that are good at ghost projects, substandard. They have their own supporters. So why would they put them in other agencies if they are going to remove them from one agency or one budget item?

Their favorite is DPWH. They have their own supporters, their own officls there. They are now a party. So they kept on fighting.

In your opinion, why did that happen? It seems like everything failed. It evolved.

What's bad is that it was decided. If this happened as early as 2022 or as early as 2016, and it was already affected, you know, painful as it is. What I said is, maybe God knows what's going on,

because why did the Habagat, Crescin, Dante, Emong, all of them opened up? Because if it's just one storm, and not that many flood control projects were damaged, maybe they won't notice. Because if you listen to what you're hearing, because you're the ones presiding over the Senate Blue Ribbon, to ordinary people, to laymen. We were surprised to hear that. Then, there was another Blue Ribbon hearing, and it was a new one.

It was like everyone failed their oversight.

There was a collusion. They didn't fail. They did it deliberately, they thought no one would notice. That's why I said, thank God, thank God that it's not just thank God because there are many people in the streets. But if we look at the long-term effect,

I hope we won't forget this because of the policies of 2013 and 2014. And then, here we are again.

Do we have a way out?

Our way out is for the citizens as well. Let's not be caught up in chaotic situations, anarchy. We are more pitiful. But if the public, the media, and the government people are always watching, well-meaning people, like Secretary Vincizon, I hope he doesn people of the country will not be tired. The people he took as undersecretary, at least one of them, undersecretary Atobi Star, I know him personally,

he will not forgive that integrity and he will fight for it. No matter how high the price, it will be worth it. So, I hope that it will be sustained. And I hope that the support, not only from the people in Canada, but you know, the most powerful support should come from the most powerful person. Senator, is it right to think that if they don't steal these huge land, the Philippines might become rich? maybe the Filipinos will be rich Yes, definitely because in terms of investment because the infrastructure program

infrastructure projects is an investment so that the goods and services can move we have highways we have and if the construction of

flood control projects is done properly it won't be damaged, it won't be damaged it won't be a cost for rehabilitation. And if the use of livelihood programs is right, in the Philippines, why are we borrowing? To invest.

If you don't borrow, you'll be robbed. Why is it that we're in debt? We're drowning in debt. There's no return on investment. But if we borrow, no matter how big, in America, we borrow a trillion dollars.

But you see, their highways are several layers. Up to five or six floors. We were able to taste the second floor. We call it a skyway.

You have been an investigator for a long time. When you learned about human nature, what happened? How come in a country where it is so hard to get out of the road, you can see right away what the problem is?

And who's the culprit?

Yes, and even their political colleagues. What is that? They lost their consensus? Their consensus ran away? What's your theory?

Well, they forgot their consensus because they were drowned in their own greed. So this is a chance that, you know, if this doesn't reach a logical conclusion, after 10 years, maybe we'll be here again.

Will we learn here?

I hope we all learn. I hope not only the people who are hiding, but also the guards learn not to let go. Because sometimes when you let go, no one is guarding you. When no one is guarding you, you can be here again.

How are you Senator Marco Leta?

I don't want to talk about this. Just one last thing. The picture of the disquiet, they say, that I went around today. What is that? Actually, it's true that we had a group photo opportunity because it was during the campaign period. I had a supporter from Davao City. He was the son of the former PNP member, the late General Francisco Villaromano. He brought him because one of his sons was running as a nominee for a party list. He was like a Filipino. So he went there to invite the so-called grand rally of celebrities.

Of course, I wanted to, maybe, I thought first, because my mother knew Mayor Vigoso's opponent. The first thing I thought was, how could Tito Sen, who is the opponent's nephew, go to the, although not directly, because I'm the son of the party. Secondly, I've talked to many party lists and they will bring me their sample bag. I said, it's not a wise political decision or move that I will appear in front of a party list and other party lists will be angry with me. Politics is a diss yun. So, sipi mo, kumakita nga na, doon ako sa, maski kanino, not necessarily yung kay Sanak ni Diskaya. Mo, walang, walang support sa akin yung ibang tutulong sa akin. Sabi ko, hindi smart na political decision, ha? Sasama. So, nag-beg

off ako. Ang nag-post po si Barazaga, ha? I don't want to talk about it. You know, we have a saying in the committee, if you're in a fight, you're in a fight.

Farm to market rules, Senator,

are the next thing that the Philippine government will investigate.

Yes, it should be. There are a lot of issues in farm to market rules. To a point, someone made a joke there, farm to pocket rules. They're making a of it Farm to Pocket roads they are making fun of it but it's not funny because it's the same

farm to market this is what will help farmers but if farm to market roads will go to subdivisions will go to resorts will go to farms

private farms no, it's not private farms, not farm to market, but private.

Do you have a project, a government that is not being scammed?

That's what I'm looking for. I analyzed the media in the Senate. My one month pension is P190,000 as a four-star general. I said, show me a perfectly executed flood control project. I will give a reward or a premium for my one-month pension. But the media cannot ask for it. You will find it yourself. They will give you a month.

Until then, nothing comes back.

It's like everyone is being scammed.

They say, nothing comes back. You will come and do research. Why hasn't the Senate media come back? They can't see anything.

The last light, the last cat's eyes. Why is our government like that?

It's been neglected. It's evolved. It's been neglected. The lobby them? Yes. Why is our government like that? It's been neglected. It's evolved and neglected. It's growing inside. It's not content. You know, some people really don't know when to stop. Like that, there are so many. What's happening to them now? They're in jail, they're content.

Some are applying toing state witness. Yung iba, hindi na siguro makatulog kasi baka darating na yung warant of arrest nila pagdating ng araw. Yung iba, nagingisip, sanaan to, makakonvict ba sila? Ito yung wake-up call na sinasabi ko kanina pa. I was surprised with the cash-to-chips for the past three years, 2023, 2024, and 2025. 1.5 billion pesos.

I was surprised with the cash-to-chips. I was surprised with the cash-to-chips. I was surprised with the cash-to-chips. I was surprised with the cash-to-chips for the past three years, 2023, 2024, and not yet the end of 2025. 1.428 billion cash-to-chips. Then, there's another one, the chips-to-cash.

Brice Hernandez is almost the same. His chips-to-cash is 1.3 billion, and his cash, 600 plus is his cash to chips. So it comes out, it's like he's up 700 million. If you ask if he's up, he can't answer. So that's why we came up with this, this is money laundering. They will exchange cash to chips, and then they won't play all of it,

they will exchange the chips, we'll exchange them for cash. So he can declare, I don't know how he did it.

Until when will your investigation have an ICI? And what is your reaction to the first person who said that legislators should be investigating because they might be involved in corruption?

If we didn't start the investigation, the inquiry, we wouldn't know about this. So, that's why they say that we shouldn't investigate. Maybe they don't want to investigate. That's the only conclusion we can draw. Because it should be clear. Even if there are some grandings, there are Kenkoi, we are still able to get information that will add to our knowledge on how to manage our taxes.

Because there are people who are reacting online saying that it's all hearings, no one be jailed. What can you say about that? Well, that is the complexity of our system. It's different. We, the Legislation, the Executive, should be the one initiating the filing of charges, then it goes to the Judiciary. So it's a very complex situation. It's hard to answer that no one is going to jail. That's not in our jurisdiction. It's good that we are all working together to have a basis for those who are going to jail. If we don't have a basis, no one is going to jail.

Thank you very much. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Senator.