Standing against corruption often comes at a high personal and political cost, and Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson is experiencing this once more amid the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s investigation into the flood control scandal.
Lacson said his chairmanship of the Blue Ribbon Committee, which is looking into the issue, has cost him friends and earned him new enemies, like in 2003 when he pushed for the abolition of the pork barrel system.
But he maintained he will continue to fulfill his duty and follow the evidence, regardless of who gets hurt.
“Déjà vu. When I took the chairmanship of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, I knew I could lose some friends and create new enemies. I had exactly the same feeling when I delivered my ‘Living Without Pork’ privilege speech in March 2003,” he said on X Saturday.
In Filipino: Lacson, Ramdam Muli ang Kapalit ng Pagsusulong ng Laban sa Katiwalian
Déjà vu. When I took the chairmanship of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, I knew I could lose some friends and create new enemies. I had exactly the same feeling when I delivered my “Living Without Pork” privilege speech in March 2003.
— PING LACSON (@iampinglacson) February 14, 2026
“What I felt in 2003, I feel now – it is painful that some of my colleagues are being implicated. But I am only fulfilling my duty as Blue Ribbon chairman,” he added in a mix of English and Filipino, in an interview on DWIZ radio Saturday afternoon.
Lacson said that when he accepted the chairmanship of the committee, he readied himself for this situation. “Painful as it is, I have a mandate to fulfill.”
“My conscience is clear. I followed the evidence. I did not invent facts or target anyone,” he added.
Text Messages
Meanwhile, Lacson said there is currently no basis for the Blue Ribbon Committee to look into the alleged exchange of text messages showing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. knew of flood control kickbacks.
“I checked the records of the BRC hearings. There was no record of former Undersecretary Adrian Bersamin being mentioned in text messages. We are guided by what happened in the BRC hearings,” he said. “So why should I call a hearing based on baseless hearsay, at least as far as the BRC records are concerned?”
He said the only basis to call a hearing is if former Undersecretary Bersamin expressed intent to attend a hearing or submit an affidavit on the matter. Otherwise, he said it is mere hearsay.
“Coming from Reps. Erice and Tinio, that’s triple hearsay. They quoted Rep. Leandro Leviste, who quoted Usec. Bersamin. That’s triple hearsay,” he said.
‘Minority Report’
Lacson questioned the supposed order of Senate minority leader Alan Peter Cayetano to not sign the committee report and instead back the “minority report.”
“I think it’s their duty and responsibility as members of the Blue Ribbon Committee to read the report and give their opinion, whether they dissent, will interpellate, will amend, or whatever action they will take. But to not sign the report, why be a member of the committee if you won’t sign it?” he said.
He added the minority could have submitted its “report” to the mother Blue Ribbon Committee as inputs, which could be incorporated into the committee’s report.
“I would not discard it just because it came from the minority. But I discarded it because they bypassed the committee where they are members,” he said.
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Lacson, Ramdam Muli ang Kapalit ng Pagsusulong ng Laban sa Katiwalian
Ang pagtindig laban sa katiwalian ay may mabigat na personal at pampulitikang kapalit – at muli itong nararanasan ni Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson sa gitna ng imbestigasyon ng Senate Blue Ribbon Committee sa flood control scandal.
Isiniwalat ni Lacson na ang kanyang pamumuno sa Blue Ribbon Committee, na nagsisiyasat sa nasabing isyu, ay nagdulot sa kanya ng pagkawala ng ilang kaibigan at pagdami ng mga kaaway — katulad noong 2003 nang isulong niya ang pagpawalang-bisa sa pork barrel system.
Gayunman, iginiit niyang patuloy niyang gagampanan ang kanyang tungkulin at susundin ang ebidensiya, anuman ang maging epekto nito kaninuman.
“Déjà vu. When I took the chairmanship of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, I knew I could lose some friends and create new enemies. I had exactly the same feeling when I delivered my ‘Living Without Pork’ privilege speech in March 2003,” ani niya sa X nitong Sabado.
“Ganoon din naramdamam ko ngayon, masakit sa loob ko na may (ilang kasamahan ko ang nasasangkot). Pero sa akin naman trabaho ko ito,” dagdag niya sa panayam sa DWIZ nitong Sabado ng hapon.
Aniya, nang tanggapin niya ang pamumuno sa komite ay inihanda na niya ang sarili sa ganitong sitwasyon. Dagdag niya, gaano man kasakit, may mandato siyang dapat gampanan.
“Basta malinis ang konsensya ko, sinundan ko ang ebidensya, hindi ako nag-imbento o nag-target,” aniya.
Mga ‘Text Message’
Samantala, sinabi ni Lacson na sa ngayon ay wala pang sapat na batayan para imbestigahan ng Blue Ribbon Committee ang umano’y palitan ng text messages na nagpapakitang may kaalaman si Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. tungkol sa flood control kickbacks.
“Chineck ko records ng BRC hearings lahat ng pagdinig. Walang record doon na nabanggit si dating Usec (Adrian) Bersamin. Wala ring nabanggit doon tungkol sa text messages. Again guided kami kung anong nagaganap sa BRC,” aniya. “So bakit ako tatawag ng pagdinig sa isang hearsay na walang basehan lalo sa record ng BRC?”
Sinabi rin niya na maaari lamang magkaroon ng pagdinig kung magpapahayag ng intensyon ang dating undersecretary na dumalo o magsumite ng sinumpaang salaysay hinggil sa isyu. Kung hindi, ito ay mananatiling hearsay.
“Coming from Cong. Edgar Erice and Cong. Antonio Tinio, triple hearsay. Kasi kino-quote nila Cong. Leviste, si Cong. Leviste kino-quote si Usec Bersamin. Ilang bilang ng tsismis yan? Triple. Triple tsismis,” aniya.
‘Minority Report’
Kinuwestiyon din ni Lacson ang umano’y panawagan na huwag pirmahan ang committee report at sa halip ay suportahan ang isang “minority report.”
“I think it’s their duty and responsibility being members (of the Blue Ribbon Committee) na basahin at maghayag ng opinion, kung mag-dissent, mag-interpellate, mag-amend o kung anumang gusto nilang gawin. Pero para di mo pirmahan, bakit ka pa nag member ng committee kung di ka pipirma,” aniya.
Binigyang-diin niya na hindi niya basta itatabi ang anumang ulat dahil lamang ito ay mula sa minorya, ngunit mahalagang dumaan ito sa tamang proseso at sa mismong komite kung saan sila ay miyembro.
“Di ko naman yan itatago dahil galing sa minority ang report, agad-agad idi-discard. Kaya ko binalewala yan pambabastos yan di man lang dinaan sa BRC ang report, e members sila ng BRC,” aniya.
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