Senate leaders deny P17.9 billion pork barrel fund in 2026 budget

Senate leaders, including Senate President Vicente Sotto III, have denied accusations of a P17.9 billion "pork barrel" fund in the 2026 budget.

ACT Teachers party-list Representative Antonio Tinio alleged that the Senate cut benefits for rank-and-file government employees under the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund (MPBF) and realigned them to pork barrel funds for local government units (LGUs).

Senator Lacson explained that the flagged amount pertains to realignments for the subsistence allowance of uniformed personnel such as police, jail guards, firefighters, and the coast guard.

Sotto dismissed the claims as "absurd" and "impossible," questioning how kickbacks could be obtained from mutual benefits intended for uniformed personnel.

The Senate President urged critics to examine the budget provisions thoroughly before making accusations, noting that all budget documents are publicly available on the Senate website.