Imee: Does Ping want hair pulling match?

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January 13, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Imee Marcos dismissed Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson’s claims linking her to budget “allocables,” saying the items attributed to her were merely proposals that were never funded.

She said Lacson appeared to be daring her to a “hair pulling” match that she could never win: “Parang masyadong gigil itong si Senator Ping sa akin, baka makipagsabunutan. Sure akong talo ako diyan.”

In a statement dated Jan. 11, Marcos said the allocables cited by Lacson were part of a “wish list” she submitted to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) central office, but were never translated to actual allocations.

She said allocations for her and fellow opposition senators Bong Go, Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Robinhood Padilla were placed under FLR or “for later release” status. No fund release took place, she said.

“Was he clueless that we in the opposition were all FLR or ‘for later release,’ so nothing was released? It’s ZERO for us – Bong Go, Bato and Robin,” she pointed out.

Marcos also rejected suggestions that she had any knowledge of, or involvement in, “allocable” funds attributed to the administration.

“I’m not a lawyer for Malacañang,” she said.

Citing the contents of public works documents called “Cabral files” or those kept by the late former undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral, Lacson said Marcos had an allocable amount under the 2025 budget of around P2.5 billion in the National Expenditure Program or NEP, even before insertions were finalized.

He added that even after the “allocables” were eventually removed, Marcos still appeared to have projects that survived the bicameral conference committee and were reflected in the final enrolled bill.

Lacson made the revelations amid Marcos’ sharp criticisms of the 2026 budget, which she described as the “sneakiest” spending plan containing sizable pork.

Meanwhile, Lacson’s pronouncement that there is no evidence linking former speaker Martin Romualdez to flood control anomalies has received backing from Deputy Speaker Ronnie Puno and Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong.

“He made it very clear that the Senate can only follow where the evidence leads,” Puno said, adding that investigations “cannot move forward on conjecture, political pressure, or unsubstantiated claims.”

Puno said Lacson’s statement in a radio interview underpins the preeminence of due process and not insinuations in any inquiry by the Senate Blue Ribbon committee.

“Public discourse should be guided by evidence and fairness,” Puno said. — Delon Porcalla