There is no “leadership fund” in the proposed P7.2-trillion 2027 national budget, and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was unaware of any such allocations in previous Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) budgets, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said Thursday.
Castro issued the clarification following testimony by former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan before the Sandiganbayan, where he claimed past budgets included P500 million to P1 billion per senator for priority infrastructure projects.
“Kung alam ng Pangulo iyan, hindi niya iyan ito-tolerate at hindi iyan mangyayari,” Castro said, adding that any such arrangements would have been kept secret. She noted that all projects in the 2027 DPWH budget are vetted by local governments and Regional Development Councils, emphasizing that endorsing public infrastructure is not inherently wrong provided it remains free of kickbacks or anomalies.
Castro also addressed the flood control controversy involving Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, stating that President Marcos prioritizes due process and insists on complete evidence before filing charges against anyone.
In response to Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice’s claim that Marcos’ promises to prosecute Romualdez were mere “optics,” Castro dismissed Erice’s remarks as baseless speculation.
“Ang kaniyang mga sinasabi ay laging may ‘parang,’ ‘I think,’ ‘I don’t think.’ Lahat ay puro galing lang sa kaniyang isipan pero walang basehan, walang facts, puro theory,” Castro said, urging Erice to file formal charges if he possesses actual evidence. “Alam ninyo po sa gobyerno, hindi tayo dapat nabubuhay lagi sa theory, hindi tayo dapat laging nabubuhay sa paninira.”