Senators questioned Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral after a text message she allegedly sent was presented as evidence in the ongoing investigation into Flood control project irregularities.

Senator Rodante Marcoleta thanked Senator Panfilo Lacson for conducting his own investigation and bringing forward the message.

The text, addressed to a staff member of Senate President Vicente Sotto, read:

“Sir baka may priority po kayo 500 for now para mavet ko po for redundancy, overlap, prior funding, correct location and alignment to national priorities and consistency with menu for local projects po. I can send the menu po if local projects to double check that no row requests, tamang location or at least may alignment study naman. Para masama ko po sa NEP sir.”

Senator Lacson argued that the message itself reflects a flaw in the budget process. “Ito ang sinasabi natin na isang kamalian ng budget process. Ang mandato ng Kongreso at Houses ay legislation. Ang NEP ay nasa budget preparation phase na kung saan exclusive domain ng executive branch,” he said. He questioned why a DPWH official appeared to be inviting legislators to submit projects, stressing: 'Hindi ba pakikialam na yun sa mandate or exclusive authority ng executive branch?”

Marcoleta believes that Cabral may have made the offer believing it would please the senators.

During the previous hearing, Cabral denied altering budget ceilings set by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). But Marcoleta pressed her, asking: “Bakit lumilitaw kahit anong ibigay na ceiling ng DBM, pinapalitan mo?”

With the emergence of the text message, Marcoleta said, the allegations against her have only grown stronger. He pointed to flood control projects as examples of insertions that, whether admitted or not, fell under her responsibility as Undersecretary for Planning Services.

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