Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson will maintain a “blindfold mentality” in presiding over the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s probe into the corruption behind anomalous flood control projects – even as he maintained there is no need to stop the Senate probe now that Malacanang has created an independent probe commission since they should complement each other.
Lacson stressed Friday that this mentality, which has always guided his investigations, means the committee will base its findings on evidence, and will spare no one – not even legislators or employees. The panel’s next hearing is scheduled for Sept. 18.
He added that the P355-million insertion in the 2025 budget, one of the subjects of the investigation, has brought to light the need to identify the proponents of amendments or insertions in crafting the budget. This transparency is one of the budget reforms Lacson has repeatedly fought for.
In Filipino: Lacson: Tuloy ang Senate Flood Control Probe Kahit na May Independent Commission; Blindfold Mentality ang Magiging Gabay
“Let me emphasize that the committee’s ongoing inquiry is in aid of legislation and does not intend to target any senator or congressman, particularly Sen. Jinggoy Estrada. But in pushing for crafting legislation for full transparency in the entire budget process, the P355-million insertion brought to light the necessity of identifying proponents of amendments or insertions in the crafting of the annual General Appropriations Act,” Lacson emphasized.
“I have always adopted a blindfold mentality. It is not right to be partial, much less to cover up for someone, because that will disrupt the investigation,” he said in Filipino in an interview on Bombo Radyo Philippines. “Because if you investigate, you exclude no one and you don’t become selective. If you do, then what is the investigation for?” he added.
Independent Commission, Blue Ribbon Probes are Complementary
Lacson rejected suggestions to stop the Senate inquiry now that the independent commission has been created. “The Senate Blue Ribbon probe and the work of the independent commission are complementary. They won’t compete with each other,” he said in an interview on NET25.
“The independent commission has a separate task but it will complement the Senate Blue Ribbon. We must coordinate closely. We can provide it with the evidence it needs to prosecute those involved. But we can also ask it for the records we need in our legislative work,” he added.
Invited to Hearing
Lacson said one of those to be summoned to the hearing is Mina Jose, a supposed representative of WJ Construction who, based on Senate security camera footage, entered the Senate building last Aug. 19 and visited an office on the third floor.
WJ Construction was linked to the mess after it allegedly made a “delivery of obligation” (a.k.a. bribe) after being awarded a project by ex-Bulacan first District Engineering Office head Henry Alcantara.
“I am having the Senate logbook checked. Visitors to the Senate have to sign a logbook indicating who they want to visit. I am checking who Mina visited,” Lacson said. In a separate interview on NET25, he cited initial information showing the name WJ stands for the initials of the owner, Warren Jose.
The panel will also summon representatives of WJ Construction to get to the bottom of the allegation of ex-engineer Brice Hernandez regarding a “delivery of obligation” or supposed bribe to Sen. Jinggoy Estrada who denied the allegation. Lacson noted the screenshots presented by Hernandez dated back to 2022.
Also, Lacson said Beng Ramos, a Blue Ribbon panel member linked to the supposed delivery of “obligation” by WJ Construction, has been transferred to the Senate’s motor pool section.
Lacson said Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Catalina Cabral will be summoned to the next hearing, to explain her Viber message inviting a staff of now-Senate President Vicente Sotto III to propose early insertions to the 2026 budget.
To be called to the hearing as well are the DPWH’s BGC Boys, or officials who gambled away hundreds of millions of pesos in taxpayers’ money in casinos.
Also to be summoned to the next Blue Ribbon hearing are the Discaya couple, Cezarah and Pacifico III. He noted the Discayas gave different testimonies in the hearings of the Senate and House of Representatives. “I want to see if their testimonies were tell-all or tell-half,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lacson said he will invite representatives of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to shed light on the insertion of P355 million for projects intended for Bulacan.
He said their initial finding showed the insertion was made either in the Senate version of the budget bill, or in the bicameral conference committee, and that seven projects in Bulacan were awarded based on the P355 million – five in May 2025 and two in July 2025.
“I will ask the DBM to put on record how the P355 million was distributed,” Lacson said.
“I am not saying it is illegal but it is improper. Under our rules, only the disagreeing provisions should be taken up in the bicameral conference committee,” he added.
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Lacson: Tuloy ang Senate Flood Control Probe Kahit na May Independent Commission; Blindfold Mentality ang Magiging Gabay
Gagawing gabay ni Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson ang “blindfold mentality” sa kanyang pamumuno ng pagdinig ng Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hinggil sa korapsyon sa mga kuwestiyonableng flood control projects – habang idiniin niya na hindi kailangang tigilan ang imbestigasyon ng Senado ngayong nalikha na ng Malacanang ang independent probe commission, dahil “complementary” ang trabaho nila.
Binigyang-diin ni Lacson na nangangahulugang gagalaw ang komite base lamang sa ebidensya, at walang sasantuhin — kahit pa mga mambabatas o empleyado. Nakatakda ang susunod na pagdinig sa Setyembre 18.
Ipinunto din ni Lacson na ang P355-milyong insertion sa 2025 budget, na sakop ng imbestigasyon, ay patunay na kailangang makilala ang mga nagmungkahi ng mga amendment o insertion sa paghubog ng badyet. Ang ganitong transparency ay matagal nang pinaglalaban ni Lacson.
“Let me emphasize that the committee’s ongoing inquiry is in aid of legislation and does not intend to target any senator or congressman, particularly Sen. Jinggoy Estrada. But in pushing for crafting legislation for full transparency in the entire budget process, the P355-million insertion brought to light the necessity of identifying proponents of amendments or insertions in the crafting of the annual General Appropriations Act,” diin ni Lacson.
“Ako, laging blindfold mentality. Hindi tama ang meron kang tinitingnan at pinagtatakpan. Maliligaw ang takbo ng investigation,” ani Lacson sa panayam ng Bombo Radyo Philippines nitong Biyernes. “Pag nag-imbestiga, maski sinong tamaan, huwag mamili, huwag maging selective… maski sino. Kasi kung meron kang titingnan o pagtatakpan, para ano pa tayo mag-imbestiga?” dagdag niya.
Trabaho ng Independent Commission at Blue Ribbon, ‘Complementary’
Hindi pumayag si Lacson sa suhestyon na tigilan ang imbestigasyon ng Senado dahil may nalikha nang independent commission. “Mag-complement ang dalawa, hindi magtatagisan,” aniya sa panayam sa NET25.
“Hiwalay ang gawa sa independent commission. Dapat nagko-complement sila, di parang nagko-compete. Sa aking pananaw, close coordination assist kami sa nakalap na ebidensya padala namin sa independent commission. Kung may kailangan kami sa kanila in aid of legislation, hihiling kami sa kanila ng kung anong record meron sila para makatulong sa amin,” dagdag niya.
Mga imbitado sa pagdinig
Isa sa ipatatawag sa pagdinig ay si Mina Jose, isang umano’y kinatawan ng WJ Construction na base sa kuha ng Senate security cameras ay pumasok sa gusali ng Senado noong Agosto 19 at bumisita sa isang opisina sa ikatlong palapag.
Naugnay ang WJ Construction sa isyu matapos umanong magsagawa ng “delivery of obligation” o lagay matapos manalo ng proyekto mula kay dating Bulacan First District Engineering Office head Henry Alcantara.
“Pina-check ko ang logbook … dahil kailangang i-confirm sa pupuntahan for security reasons. Yan pinakukuha ko ngayon, kung sino ang nag-accommodate sa Mina ng WJ Construction,” ani Lacson. Sa panayam sa NET25, binanggit ni Lacson ang inisyal na impormasyon na ang pangalang WJ ay ang initial ng may-ari ng kumpanya na si Warren Jose.
Ipapatawag din ng komite ang mga kinatawan ng WJ Construction upang siyasatin ang akusasyon ni dating engineer Brice Hernandez hinggil sa umano’y “delivery of obligation” o lagay kay Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, na mariing itinanggi naman ni Estrada. Binanggit ni Lacson na ang screenshots na pinakita ni Hernandez ay noon pang 2022.
Dagdag ni Lacson, si Beng Ramos, na empleyado ng Blue Ribbon panel na naiugnay sa umano’y “delivery of obligation” ng WJ Construction, ay nailipat na sa motor pool section ng Senado.
Sinabi rin ni Lacson na ipatatawag ng komite si Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Catalina Cabral, upang ipaliwanag ang kanyang Viber message na nag-aanyaya sa staff ni Senate President Vicente Sotto III na magmungkahi ng maagang insertions para sa 2026 budget.
Kasama ring ipatatawag ang tinaguriang “BGC Boys” ng DPWH, mga opisyal na umanong nagsusugal ng daan-daang milyong piso mula sa buwis ng bayan sa mga casino.
Ipapatawag din ang mag-asawang Discaya, sina Cezarah at Pacifico III. Binigyang-diin ni Lacson na nagbigay ang Discayas ng magkaibang testimonya sa Senado at Kamara. “Para maliwanagan din kung sila ba nag tell-all or nag tell-half,” aniya.
Samantala, inimbitahan din ni Lacson ang mga kinatawan ng Department of Budget and Management (DBM) upang magbigay-linaw sa P355 milyong insertion para sa mga proyektong nakalaan sa Bulacan.
Aniya, ang unang nakita nila ay ginawa ang insertion sa Senate version ng budget bill o kaya’y sa bicameral conference committee. Mula sa P355 milyon, pitong proyekto sa Bulacan ang na-award, kabilang ang lima noong Mayo 2025 at dalawa noong Hulyo 2025.
“Ipapa-formalize ko sa DBM ang story ng P355M kasi alam nila paano i-distribute,” ani Lacson.
“Di ko sinasabing illegal pero hindi proper. Ang na-violate doon ang rules, under our rules na disagreeing provisions lang ang dapat tinatalakay,” dagdag niya.
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THAT’S A GOOD IDEA OF HAVING A PARALLEL INVESTIGATION. THE BLUE RIBBON AND AN INDEPENDENT BODY. THEY COULD COMPARE NOTES AT THE END OF THE INVESTIGATIONS AND SEE IF THEY END UP WITH THE SAME CONCLUSION.