The possible appearance of arrested ex-Rep. Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee could prompt more senators to sign the panel’s partial report, Senate President Pro Tempore and Blue Ribbon Chairman Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said late Friday.
Lacson said the decision now rests with the committee members, especially those who have been calling for the hearings to resume and for Co to be questioned.
“Co’s arrest is a good development because now it’s up to them to ensure that the hearings resume. It’s on them – do they want the hearings to continue and for Co to be grilled? The burden is now on them to sign the partial report,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino in an interview on Storycon on One News.
In Filipino: Lacson: Posibleng Pagharap ni Zaldy Co sa BRC, Maaaring Magpalakas ng Suporta sa Partial Report
Lacson had said he plans to invite Co, among other resource persons, to the next flood control hearing – but only after the partial committee report has been filed and sponsored.
Earlier, Lacson suspended further hearings of the panel on the flood control mess until the partial report can get at least nine signatures for Lacson to file and sponsor it in plenary.
He said continuing the hearings without reaching a logical conclusion in the form of a committee report that senators can debate, amend and adopt on the Senate floor would be pointless and contrary to Senate rules.
When asked about his priority questions for Co, Lacson said he would ask Co about the videos he posted on social media late last year.
“In the videos he posted on social media, what parts are true and what parts are not? That would be my first question,” he said.
He said he also wants Co to face former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, who had contested Co’s claim of delivering P100 billion to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“I want Co to confront Bernardo over their differing accounts,” Lacson said.
Unlocking Bigger Case
Meanwhile, Lacson said the partial committee report can pave the way for a bigger case against Co, who now faces charges before the Sandiganbayan over anomalous flood control projects in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.
He said his two privilege speeches and recent Blue Ribbon hearings have uncovered much bigger liabilities for Co over anomalous projects in Bulacan.
“The Ombudsman may not have discovered it fully so I hope this reaches them – in the BRC committee hearings and my two privilege speeches, Co faces bigger trouble over projects in Bulacan. Based on the testimonies of Henry Alcantara and Roberto Bernardo, Co poured in P35 billion into projects in Bulacan alone,” he said.
Lacson said the situation got so excessive that Co instructed Alcantara – then the district engineer of Bulacan – to identify neighboring provinces like Tarlac where funds could be channeled, to avoid drawing attention.
“That can lead to another case against Co once the partial report is adopted. We will furnish the Department of Justice and Ombudsman copies of the partial report to build the new case against Co,” Lacson said.
*****
Lacson: Posibleng Pagharap ni Zaldy Co sa BRC, Maaaring Magpalakas ng Suporta sa Partial Report
Ang posibleng pagharap ni naarestong ex-Rep. Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co sa pagdinig ng Senate Blue Ribbon Committee ay maaaring mag-udyok sa mas maraming senador na lumagda sa partial report ng komite, ani Senate President Pro Tempore at Blue Ribbon Chairman Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Biyernes ng hapon.
Diin ni Lacson, hawak na ng mga miyembro na ng komite ang bola tungkol dito, lalo na sa mga nananawagan na ipagpatuloy ang mga pagdinig at maimbestigahan si Co.
“Magandang development na nahuli si Zaldy Co para sa ganoon it’s on them, nasa balikat na nila na gusto nyo ba ituloy ang ating pagdinig at maimbestigahan si Zaldy Co o hindi? Medyo mabigat na ang nakaatang sa kanilang balikat para magpirma sila,” ani Lacson sa panayam sa Storycon sa One News.
Nauna nang sinabi ni Lacson na plano niyang imbitahan si Co, kasama ang ilang dating sundalo, sa susunod na pagdinig ukol sa flood control—ngunit pagkatapos lamang maisumite at ma-sponsor ang partial committee report.
Sinuspinde ni Lacson ang mga susunod pang pagdinig ng komite hinggil sa usapin ng flood control hanggang makakuha ang partial report ng hindi bababa sa siyam na lagda, na kinakailangan upang ito ay maisumite at ma-sponsor sa plenaryo.
Aniya, ang pagpapatuloy ng mga pagdinig nang walang malinaw na konklusyon sa anyo ng isang committee report—na maaaring pagdebatehan, amyendahan, at pagtibayin ng mga senador sa plenaryo—ay walang saysay at taliwas sa mga patakaran ng Senado.
Nang tanungin hinggil sa kanyang mga prayoridad na tanong kay Co, sinabi ni Lacson na tatanungin niya ito tungkol sa mga video na inilabas nito sa social media noong nakaraang taon.
“Ano ang totoo, ano ang hindi sa nilabas niyang video. Yan ang una kong itatanong,” aniya.
Dagdag pa niya, nais din niyang iharap si Co kay dating Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, na kumontra sa pahayag ni Co na naghatid umano ito ng P100 bilyon kay Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“Gusto ko siyang i-confront kay Bernardo kasi magkasalungat ang testimony, wala pang testimony si Bernardo along that line,” ani Lacson.
Pagbubukas ng Mas Malaking Kaso
Samantala, sinabi ni Lacson na maaaring magsilbing daan ang partial committee report upang mabuksan ang mas malaking kaso laban kay Co, na kasalukuyang nahaharap sa mga kasong isinampa sa Sandiganbayan kaugnay ng umano’y anomalya sa mga proyektong flood control sa Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.
Aniya, ang kanyang dalawang privilege speech at ang mga kamakailang pagdinig ng Blue Ribbon Committee ay naglantad ng mas malalaking pananagutan ni Co kaugnay ng mga kahina-hinalang proyekto sa Bulacan.
“Ngayon ang hindi pa natuklasan ng Ombudsman and I hope makarating sa kanila ito, sa committee hearings namin sa BRC and even in my two privilege speeches, mas malaki ang kanyang pananagutan sa Bulacan. Kasi sa testimony ni Henry Alcantara and Roberto Bernardo, P35B ang nailagak niya sa Bulacan province alone,” aniya.
Sinabi rin ni Lacson na umabot sa puntong naging labis na ang sitwasyon kaya’t inutusan umano ni Co si Henry Alcantara—na noo’y district engineer ng Bulacan—na maghanap ng mga karatig-probinsya gaya ng Tarlac kung saan maaaring ilipat ang pondo upang hindi ito agad mapansin.
“Pwedeng idagdag na kaso yan sa kanya once ma-adopt ang partial report, ma-furnish namin ng copy ang DOJ or Ombudsman, pwedeng madagdagan ang kaso ni Zaldy Co,” ani Lacson.
*****