Manila, Dec. 17 -- Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson on Wednesday rejected claims that the Senate inserted a PHP17.9-billion pork barrel fund in the proposed 2026 national budget, saying the questioned amount was a realignment intended to increase the subsistence allowance of uniformed personnel.

Lacson said claims made by ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio about supposed "Senate pork" were either the result of "trabahong tamad (lazy work)" or a deliberate effort to malign and destabilize the Senate.

"The 'Senate pork' referred to by Rep. Tinio are actually realignments to increase the subsistence allowance of the uniformed personnel from the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Bureau of...