In a new development in the DPWH flood control scandal probe—following Sen. Lacson’s handover of the late undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral’s documents—the legal counsel of Cabral revealed that House leaders, particularly Rep. Elizaldy Co, overrode a parametric formula designed to eliminate discretion in district budget allocations.
Mae Divinagracia, legal counsel for the late DPWH undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral, disclosed on January 5, 2026, details from conversations with Cabral. As previously reported in this series, Cabral died in late December 2025 amid the ongoing Senate and Ombudsman investigations into alleged budget insertions for ghost flood control projects.
Divinagracia said Cabral developed a 'parametric formula'—based on historical allocations, population density, and poverty incidence—under instructions from former Secretary Manuel Bonoan. An economist and former agency consultant helped create the algorithm to remove discretion in allocations.
The formula was presented to House leadership but was overridden, restoring budgets to prior-year levels. Adjustments reportedly originated from then-Rep. Elizaldy Co’s office (former House appropriations chair in the 19th Congress), emailed to Cabral and forwarded to Bonoan. Divinagracia has not seen the email but believes it remains in Cabral’s DPWH account.
Co faces allegations of budget manipulation for a kickback scheme in the scandal. He admitted inserting P100 billion in the 2025 budget per the president’s directive but denied personal cuts. Figures under 'NEP computed' followed the formula, reducing allocations, while 'NEP restored' reverted them.
Cabral also revealed a separate 'Senate and House leadership fund' favoring districts of Martin Romualdez and Sandro Marcos, which she reported to the Ombudsman. Previously, allocations were needs-based or per prior GAAs; the 'legislative district allocables' were introduced under Bonoan.
Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste thanked Divinagracia for confirming his earlier claims on the 'Cabral files,' legally obtained from her office.
