The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee is not closing its doors to the 18 “ex-Marines” who claimed delivering kickbacks to certain personalities – so long as their testimonies will reflect reality, Senate President Pro Tempore and Blue Ribbon panel Chairman Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Friday.
Lacson said that had the testimonies of the 18 fallen within the “realm of possibilities,” the Committee would have long invited them and listened to what they had to say.
“While the Blue Ribbon Committee’s doors are not closed to them, they just need to correct their statements so the hearing does not turn into a circus,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino, in an interview on DZBB radio.
In Filipino: Lacson: Bukas pa ang Pinto ng Blue Ribbon sa 18 ‘Ex-Marines,’ Pero Kailangang Ilapit sa Katotohanan ang Kanilang Affidavit
Lacson said that while it cannot be denied that cash deliveries were made to certain beneficiaries in connection with alleged kickbacks from flood control projects, parts of the initial claims of the 18 appeared outside the realm of possibility – including the P805 billion in total cash deliveries.
Earlier, Lacson had pointed out not only the “impossibility” of involving such a massive amount, but also the logistical nightmare of handling the money and actually delivering them.
He said he already urged lawyer Levito Baligod, who presented the 18 at a press conference at the Club Filipino last Feb. 24, to take the needed steps.
“They must think about it carefully. They can retract their initial statements and say they overlooked some details. The important thing is to bring their statements closer to reality so that the Blue Ribbon Committee will not be entertaining lies,” he said.
“Just correct your affidavits and bring them closer to the truth, and I’ll call a hearing,” he added. “For now it is clear that parts of their statements are impossible, such as the P805 billion, which insults Filipinos’ intelligence.”
Lacson reiterated the Blue Ribbon Committee’s intention is to expose the truth and not to expose lies, even as he reiterated that “we will go where the evidence leads us.”
“I maintain my position that we go where the evidence leads us. That will not change. Could there be stronger proof of this than the investigation having already implicated my fellow senators? That is why I cannot accept accusations that I am protecting personalities,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lacson said the Blue Ribbon Committee’s partial committee report still needs five signatures before it can be filed. He said he plans to convince more members of the majority bloc to sign it.
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Lacson: Bukas pa ang Pinto ng Blue Ribbon sa 18 ‘Ex-Marines,’ Pero Kailangang Ilapit sa Katotohanan ang Kanilang Affidavit
Nananatiling bukas ang pintuan ng Senate Blue Ribbon Committee sa 18 “ex-Marines” na nag-angking naghatid ng umano’y kickbacks sa ilang personalidad — basta’t ilapit nila ang testimonya nila sa katotohanan, ayon kay Senate President Pro Tempore at Blue Ribbon panel chairman Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Biyernes.
Sinabi ni Lacson na kung ang mga testimonya ng 18 ay nasa loob ng “realm of possibilities,” matagal na sana silang inimbitahan ng komite sa pagdinig upang pakinggan ang kanilang mga pahayag.
“Hindi naman sarado ang pintuan ng Blue Ribbon Committee para dinggin sila. Pero ayusin lang nila para hindi maging circus,” aniya sa isang panayam sa DZBB radio.
Ayon kay Lacson, bagama’t hindi maikakaila na may mga cash delivery na ginawa sa ilang benepisyaryo kaugnay ng umano’y kickbacks mula sa mga flood control project, may ilang bahagi ng mga unang pahayag ng 18 na tila lampas sa makatotohanang posibilidad—kabilang ang sinasabing kabuuang P805 bilyon na cash deliveries.
Nauna nang itinuro ni Lacson hindi lamang ang “impossibility” ng ganoong kalaking halaga kundi pati ang napakahirap na aspetong logistikal ng paghawak at aktuwal na pagdadala ng naturang pera.
Hinimok na niya si Levito Baligod — na nagprisinta sa 18 sa isang press conference sa Club Filipino noong Peb. 24 — na gawin ang mga kinakailangang hakbang hinggil dito.
“Pagisipan nilang mabuti yan. Pwede naman silang mag-retract, sabihing na-overlook. Basta ilapit sa makatotohanan na di magmumukhang pinatulan natin ang kabulaanan,” aniya.
“Ayusin lang ninyo ang affidavit, ilapit ninyo sa katotohanan, at tatawag ako ng pagdinig,” dagdag niya. “Sa ngayon maliwanag naman may kasinungalingan ang kanilang affidavit kasi imposible ang P805 billion… parang nakakainsulto sa katalinuhan ng mga Pilipino.”
Muling iginiit ni Lacson na layunin ng Blue Ribbon Committee na ilantad ang katotohanan at hindi ang mga kasinungalingan, habang inuulit na “we will go where the evidence leads us.”
“I-maintain ko ang aking position, we go where the evidence leads us. Hindi nagbabago yan. E may tinamaan na nga kasamahan ko, may mas titindi pa ba doon mismong kasamahan kong senador kasama sa committee report, tapos bintangan ako na may pinoprotektahan? Yan ang di ko pwede tanggapin,” aniya.
Samantala, sinabi ni Lacson na kailangan pa ng limang lagda ang partial committee report ng Blue Ribbon Committee bago ito pormal na maihain. Aniya, plano niyang kumbinsihin ang ilan pang miyembro ng majority bloc upang lumagda sa naturang ulat.
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