Former Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on Wednesday, November 19, rejected claims linking him to alleged insertions in the proposed 2025 national budget, denying that he ever promised to “take care” of P52 billion worth of adjustments.
His rebuttal followed Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson’s statement citing former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, who claimed Bersamin was involved in facilitating the supposed insertions.
“I vehemently deny the imputation against me that I said anything to Sec. (Manny) Bonoan that ‘we will take care of it’ regarding the supposed facilitation of the P52 billion,” Bersamin told Palace reporters.
He added that Bernardo “could not be a credible source” because the information attributed to him “looks and sounds like at least triple hearsay.”
Lacson earlier tagged two undersecretaries—Trygve Olaivar of the Education Department and Adrian Bersamin of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office—accusing them of invoking President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s name to secure alleged kickbacks tied to budget insertions.
Bersamin, who resigned after being linked to the flood-control scandal, had earlier been described by Malacañang Press Undersecretary Claire Castro as stepping down out of delicadeza to allow investigations to proceed.
