Senate President Pro Tempore and Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman Panfilo “Ping” Lacson criticized Senator Rodante Marcoleta for allegedly failing to directly deny claims that he sought ₱500 million in “allocables” from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), amid an ongoing Senate inquiry into flood control projects.

The controversy stemmed from Lacson’s privilege speech on Tuesday, where he presented preliminary findings of the Blue Ribbon Committee’s investigation into alleged irregularities in flood control infrastructure.

A key slide in his presentation included a handwritten note allegedly from the camp of the late DPWH Undersecretary Catalina Cabral, which read “₱500 million for Sen. Marcoleta,” referring to supposed allocations for infrastructure projects.

The document is part of the evidence that the committee intends to submit to the Office of the Ombudsman for further fact-finding and possible case build-up.

Marcoleta, in a separate privilege speech on Wednesday, criticized his inclusion in Lacson’s presentation but reportedly stopped short of directly denying the allegation regarding the ₱500-million “allocables.”

Lacson, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), said Marcoleta “deliberately missed the most important reaction: deny or refute the handwritten note (c/o Cong Marcoleta) on the document as presented.”

Lacson also clarified that Marcoleta is not yet being recommended for formal investigation, but said this could change if evidence of ghost projects or substandard infrastructure linked to the senator is established.

The exchange highlights growing tensions in the Senate’s ongoing probe into alleged misuse of funds in flood control projects, which Lacson has previously described as resembling a new form of “pork barrel” system.