MANILA, Philippines — Senators Joel Villanueva and Jinggoy Estrada remain under scrutiny for alleged budget insertions in the 2023 and 2025 General Appropriations Acts (GAAs), according to Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson.
Lacson emphasized that allowing the two lawmakers to confront their accuser during the Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on Thursday does not equate to being cleared of wrongdoing.
“By any measure, Senators Villanueva and Estrada have not been cleared, at least on the issue of budget insertions involving infrastructure projects in Bulacan worth P600 million and P355 million respectively, as alleged by Engineer Brice Hernandez,” Lacson said on X.
During Thursday’s hearing, Hernandez alleged that P600 million meant for flood control projects in Bulacan under the 2023 GAA was linked to Villanueva who subsequently denied the accusation.
Lacson said the amount was derived from documents provided by Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian.
“There are seven to eight items worth P75 million each, exactly P600 million,” Lacson said, but added that Hernandez displayed a “selective memory” when he failed to answer other questions.
Lacson warned Hernandez that he must tell the full truth, not just the parts that were convenient.
Separately, Lacson said his office found P355 million in infrastructure projects under the 2025 GAA that Hernandez linked to Estrada who also denied the allegations.
Lacson defended the participation of Villanueva and Estrada in the hearing, saying it is their “basic right to confront their accuser.”
“In case you didn’t notice, I did not clear the two senators on the issue of budget insertions because the budget books validate Brice Hernandez’s allegations based on my own staff’s research, at least in the case of Sen. Estrada,” Lacson said.
He added that his decision was made in consultation with his legal staff.
