Senator Rodante Marcoleta on Wednesday, May 7, accused Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo "Ping" Lacson of casting doubt on his integrity by raising allegations he received P500-million in “allocables."

In a privilege speech, Marcoleta directly addressed claims raised by Lacson, who chairs the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, including the allegation that he sought P1.5 billion worth of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) projects in exchange for confirming then-DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan during his time in the Commission on Appointments (CA).

Marcoleta said Lacson claimed that only P500-million worth of projects had been granted and that some lawmakers supposedly received no allocations. However, he pointed out that no documentary evidence was presented to support the accusation.

He also took issue with a slide presented by Lacson during his privilege speech, which referenced “allocables” and “leadership fund” and included an entry allegedly tied to “Cong. Marcoleta” with a “500” allocation.

“Putol, hindi buo, walang sapat na konteksto (Putol, hindi buo, walang sapat na konteksto),” Marcoleta said, arguing that the material created a misleading impression that he had requested project funds without explaining the full context.

“Hindi na po ito paghahanap ng katotohanan. Ito ay pagpapalutang ng duda sa pamamagitan ng isang palabas (This is no longer a search for the truth. It is the deliberate sowing of doubt through a mere spectacle),” he added.

The senator said the narrative was further amplified after Lacson gave media interviews the following day reiterating the same claims.

Marcoleta maintained that endorsing projects to implementing agencies is part of the legislative process and not, by itself, evidence of wrongdoing. He cited previous statements in the Senate that budgetary amendments proposed by lawmakers do not pass through legislators but are implemented by executive agencies.

He further claimed that the focus on his name was selective, noting that other individuals mentioned in testimonies and sworn statements were not treated similarly in the committee’s report. He also expressed disappointment that instead of using the Senate’s power to hold the guilty accountable and uncover the whole truth, some are wielding it as a weapon against those who cannot be silenced or restrained

Beyond the allegations, Marcoleta framed the issue as part of a broader pattern of attacks against him, recalling a previously circulated “spliced” video that he said distorted his statements.

He stressed that his refusal to sign the Blue Ribbon Committee’s partial report was not due to opposition to accountability, but because he considers the report incomplete and potentially biased.

“I haven’t signed the report not because I don’t advocate for accountability, but because the report itself is incomplete and thus could be biased,” he said.

Marcoleta warned that compelling committee members to sign the partial report could compromise the integrity of the investigation, and raised concern that it might be used to halt further hearings.