SENATE President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said Tuesday, November 18, 2025, that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. did not benefit from the P100 billion worth of insertions in the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA), saying he was “misrepresented” by two other government officials.
During the Senate plenary deliberations on the proposed national budget for 2026, Lacson confirmed the existence of P100 billion worth insertions in the 2025 GAA.
“’Yung sinasabi ni Zaldy Co na nag-deliver siya ng P25 billion representing the 25 percent commission diumano para sa President, that I will attest na hindi totoo, yun talaga absolutely untrue or completely false,” said Lacson.
(What Zaldy Co is claiming — that he delivered P25 billion representing the alleged 25 percent commission for the President — I can attest that this is not true. That is absolutely untrue or completely false.)
“Napag-alaman ko from former DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo na may mga tao sa Malacañang, not the President, not authorized by the President, who misrepresented him,” he added.
(I learned from former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo that there were people in Malacañang — not the President, and not authorized by the President — who misrepresented him.)
Lacson said Presidential Legislative Liaison Office Undersecretary Adrian Carlos Bersamin and Education Undersecretary Trygve Olaivar made it appear to former Ako-Bicol partylist representative Elizalde “Zaldy” Co that the P100 billion insertions were ordered by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
He said that according to Bernardo, who earlier testified in the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee investigation on the anomalous flood control projects of the P100 billion insertions, P81 billion was allocated to the DPWH, while the rest went to other government agencies.
He said Bernardo handled P52 billion out of the P81 billion allocated to the DPWH.
“Talagang sabi niya naghatid ako ng pera as kickback but not to the President but to Usec. Olaivar, at sabi niya ang pagkakaalam niya kasama si Usec. Adrian Bersamin, P8 billion in at least 10 deliveries,” said Lacson.
(He really said that he delivered money as kickbacks, but not to the President — instead to Usec. Olaivar — and he said that, to his knowledge, Usec. Adrian Bersamin was also involved. It amounted to P8 billion in at least 10 deliveries.)
“’Yung arrangement nila is may tig-isa silang armored van, magpapark sa basement ng Diamond Hotel, darating ang van driven by Olaivar and possible along with Bersamin, bakante ‘yung armored van, ipa-park, ida-drive ang isang van na puno ng pera, ranging from P800 million to P2 billion,” he added.
(Their arrangement was that each of them had an armored van. They would park at the basement of Diamond Hotel, and a van driven by Olaivar — possibly with Bersamin — would arrive. Their armored van would be empty. They would park it, then drive away the other van filled with money, ranging from P800 million to P2 billion.)
He said Bernardo was even prevented by Olaivar to disclose to then DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan the details on the P52 billion fund allocation.
Lacson said he handed over to Marcos the handwritten narration of Bernardo on the matter.
Earlier, Co said Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman told him about an order of Marcos for the P100-billion insertion in the 2025 national budget.
He said this was confirmed by Bersamin, nephew of former Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin.
Following these allegations, the Bersamins and Pangandaman tendered their courtesy resignation, which was accepted by Marcos on Monday, November 17.
Meanwhile, the Department of Education confirmed on November 18 that Olaivar has already submitted his resignation to Marcos. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)