Resigned Rep. Elizaldy Co and former Speaker Martin Romualdez will be invited to the next hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s investigation into the corruption behind anomalous flood control projects, Senate President Pro Tempore and Blue Ribbon Committee chairman Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Tuesday.
Lacson said this should debunk the perception of some sectors that the Blue Ribbon Committee is targeting, favoring or even “protecting” some personalities.
“For the next hearing of the committee, we will send an invitation letter to his address. Now we know he is abroad and will not show up. If that is the case, we will issue a subpoena, and then a show-cause order,” Lacson said in a mix of English and Filipino in an interview on NET25. “We are not covering up for anyone here.”
“If the show-cause order is not satisfactory, we will cite him in contempt of the committee and issue a warrant for his arrest,” he added.
In Filipino: Lacson: Ex-Rep. Zaldy Co Iimbitahan sa Blue Ribbon Hearing, Former Speaker Romualdez Iimbitahan din via Speaker Dy
In the case of Romualdez, Lacson said the invitation will be coursed through House Speaker Faustino Dy III, “in observation of the time-honored inter-parliamentary courtesy between the two houses of Congress.”
Lacson said the committee is waiting for some developments in the case before scheduling the next hearing.
Also, he made it clear that the Blue Ribbon Committee will continue its hearings for as long as there are new major developments that it needs to look into. He reiterated he will maintain a blindfold mentality, meaning he will be impartial and go where the evidence leads him.
This means that while it hurts to see some of his colleagues implicated in the mess, he cannot stop the resource persons concerned from testifying.
“If we stop the probe now, we may reinforce the perception rightly or wrongly that we are covering up for someone. No. I said it clearly, we will go where the evidence leads us,” he said.
“I will not be distracted by the noise that I am partial, that I am covering up for or targeting someone. My guiding principle is to go where the evidence leads me, and to do the right thing,” he added. “Nobody is being targeted. Neither will anyone be shielded or spared. No matter how unpopular, even painful for me to hear the names of my colleagues being implicated by resource persons, I will not be deterred.”
ICI Changes
Lacson said the changes in the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), where former Philippine National Police chief Rodolfo Azurin will replace Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong as adviser, will not affect the Blue Ribbon Committee’s hearings.
He added that while he is saddened that Magalong resigned as an adviser to the ICI because of his potential contributions through his institutional knowledge, he is excited that Azurin will get a chance to contribute as well.
“Generals Azurin and Magalong worked directly under me when I headed the PNP. I know their work ethic, integrity, and work experience,” he said.
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Lacson: Ex-Rep. Zaldy Co Iimbitahan sa Blue Ribbon Hearing, Former Speaker Romualdez Iimbitahan din via Speaker Dy
Iimbitahin si nagbitiw na Rep. Elizaldy Co at si dating Speaker Martin Romualdez sa susunod na pagdinig ng Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hinggil sa katiwalian sa likod ng mga maanomalyang flood control projects, ayon kay Senate President Pro Tempore at Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Martes.
Ani Lacson, dito ay mababasag ang maling pananaw ng ilang sektor na ang Blue Ribbon Committee ay may kinikilingan, kinakampihan, o pinoprotektahan na ilang personalidad.
“Sa susunod na pagdinig, kung magkakaroon kami ng pagdinig, papadala namin siya ng invitation letter sa kanyang address. Now alam naman nating sa abroad siya so di yan sisipot. Pag di siya dumating, ipapadala namin ng subpoena. At pag hindi sumipot may show-cause order,” ani Lacson sa panayam sa NET25. “Kaya wala tayong pinagtatakpan dito.”
“Pag hindi satisfactory ang show cause order ipapa-contempt namin siya at pa-issue-han namin siya ng warrant of arrest,” dagdag niya.
Para kay Romualdez, iginiit ni Lacson na idadaan ang imbitasyon kay House Speaker Faustino Dy III, “in observation of the time-honored inter-parliamentary courtesy between the two houses of Congress.”
Sa ngayon, sinabi ni Lacson na hinihintay pa ng komite ang ilang developments sa kaso bago magtakda ng susunod na pagdinig.
Nilinaw rin ni Lacson na ipagpapatuloy ng Blue Ribbon Committee ang mga pagdinig hangga’t may mga panibagong mahahalagang pangyayari na kailangang silipin. Binigyang-diin niya na pananatilihin niya ang tinatawag na blindfold mentality — ibig sabihin, magiging patas siya at susundan kung saan dadalhin ng ebidensya.
Ito ay kahit na masakit para sa kanya na makita ang ilan sa kanyang mga kasamahan na nadadawit sa isyu, bagama’t hindi niya maaaring pigilan ang mga resource persons na magsalaysay.
“Kung hihinto ngayon lalong mare-reinforce ang perception o sinasabi nilang rightly or wrongly na meron kaming pinagtatakpan. No. Maliwanag ang sinabi ko, we will go where the evidence leads us,” aniya.
“Hindi ako ma-distract sa mga ingay na may kinakampihan, may pinagtatakpan, may tinatarget. Bahala sila sa perception. Basta ako guiding principle ko kung ano ang nararapat at inaakala kong tamang gawin, yan ang tamang gawin,” dagdag niya. “Nobody is being targeted. Neither will anyone be shielded or spared. No matter how unpopular, even painful for me to hear the names of my colleagues being implicated by resource persons, I will not be deterred.”
Mga Pagbabago sa ICI
Sinabi rin ni Lacson na ang mga pagbabago sa Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), kung saan papalitan ni dating Philippine National Police chief Rodolfo Azurin si Mayor Benjamin Magalong ng Baguio City bilang adviser, ay hindi makakaapekto sa mga pagdinig ng Blue Ribbon Committee.
Dagdag niya, bagama’t naghihinayang siya sa pagbibitiw ni Magalong bilang adviser ng ICI dahil sa laki ng maiaambag nito mula sa kanyang kaalaman sa institusyon, “excited” naman siya na mabibigyan ng pagkakataon si Azurin na makapag-ambag din.
“Si Gen. Azurin at Gen. Magalong, pareho naging tao ko directly under me at kabisado ko ang kanilang work ethic, kabisado ko ang kanilang integrity, kabisado ko ang kanilang work experience,” ani Lacson.
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