18/06/2026
‘WHAT A WASTE OF TAXPAYERS’ MONEY’
Sen. Panfilo Lacson criticized the 28-day leadership standoff under Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, claiming it cost taxpayers an estimated P700 million while yielding “chaos” and legislative inaction.
In a post on X on Thursday, June 18, Lacson said the estimate was based on calculations by Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian, who previously chaired the finance committee, placing the Senate’s daily operating expenses at around P25 million.
“As per estimate made by the erstwhile Finance committee chairman, now SP Gatchalian, under the 2026 GAA, the Senate spends approximately P25M/day - salaries, allowances, MOOE, etc. Multiply that by 28 days of inaction and inactivity, it’s P700M,” Lacson said in a reply to a comment.