Lacson: Flood control probe suspended until partial report reaches plenary

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson has suspended all hearings of the Senate blue ribbon committee (BRC) on the public works fiasco at least until he reports out to the plenary its partial report.

Lacson, who heads the committee, had previously deferred its April 14 hearing, pending the submission of a sworn affidavit by former Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson and the signing of the partial report by at least five more members of the panel.

Only four — Lacson, Sens. Risa Hontiveros,  Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan and Bam Aquino — have so far signed the initial report, which recommends a preliminary investigation into individuals implicated in the controversy, including three incumbent senators.

“I do not expect any member of the minority to sign. They can offer all kinds of reasons all they want, wise or otherwise, not to fulfill their duties as members. It’s on them, not on the chairman,” Lacson said in a Viber message on Wednesday.

“That said, I am suspending all hearings until I have reported out to sponsor in plenary the partial committee report at the very least,” he said.

Citing the Senate rules, Lacson explained that “all inquiries in aid of legislation should end up in recommended legislative actions via a committee report, except the BRC which can also investigate and recommend the filing of criminal cases for malfeasance, misfeasance or nonfeasance.”

Lacson is confident that he would still get at least five more senators to sign the report to complete the required majority of nine.

The senator was asked about Sen. Imee Marcos’ remark that she would not sign the partial report unless there is  a complete and thorough investigation into the controversy.

According to Marcos, she recalled seeing a report with watermarks but she could not ascertain if it was the same document being routed to members of the committee.

“If that’s the one—the one with those watermarks—I won’t sign it,” she said  in an interview in the Senate.

When asked what would it take to have her sign the report, Marcos answered: “A complete and thorough investigation.”

She said they were “very disappointed” in the minority that the Senate probe did not touch on the allegations of 18 former Marines.

The former Marines claimed they were tapped to transport P805 billion kickbacks from the flood control works to certain politicians, including former House Speaker Martin Romualdez and former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co. 

A separate report by the 9-member minority bloc in the Senate found Romualdez of being either complicit in the anomalous flood control scandal or negligent in his job.

“[It’s] either he was complicit with the crooks or was grossly negligent in his job. In both cases, he remains liable either way,” according to the 576-page report signed by six of nine minority senators.

The minority report was submitted to the office of Senate President Vicente Sotto III on December 10. /apl