Efforts to keep the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s findings on the flood control scandal from reaching the public will fail because the public won’t forget the issue, Senate President Pro Tempore and Blue Ribbon Chairman Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Saturday.
Lacson said this is why he has scheduled a privilege speech next week to present his Chairman’s Progress Report – after the panel’s partial report still could not get enough signatures to reach the plenary.
“Our people are angry and will not forget the issue. It will take decades before the issue is gone from the public’s memory. I called the flood control scandal ‘Napoles 2’ but this is much worse and it’s no laughing matter,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino in an interview on DZMM radio.
“As Blue Ribbon Chairman I owe it to the Filipino people to update them on what happened after seven to eight hearings. This is because many are not updated and especially because there are false narratives being spread that we are covering up for some persons and targeting others. And another compelling reason is that the partial committee report’s contents have been overtaken by events,” he added.
In Filipino: Lacson: Tangkang ‘Harangin’ ang Imbestigasyon sa Flood Control Mabibigo Dahil Hindi Ito Malilimutan ng Publiko
He was referring to the case of Janet Lim-Napoles in the early 2010s, where lawmakers received cuts for ghost projects, with Napoles keeping 35 percent and spending 15 percent for “paperwork.”
“Filipinos won’t forget the flood control scandal especially because lives and livelihoods were lost,” Lacson said.
Lacson noted that while the Blue Ribbon Committee had prepared a partial report last February containing its findings so far, it could not get the needed signatures to be reported out and sponsored in plenary.
He said that while he respects the positions of senators who did not sign the partial report, he disagrees with their reasoning that they have disagreements with portions of the partial report.
“It is our duty as members of committees, not just the Blue Ribbon Committee, to sign a committee report and indicate whether we will interpellate, will amend, have reservations or will submit a separate report or opinion. We should not refuse to sign just to block the report from reaching the plenary,” he said.
Lacson said he may deliver his privilege speech on May 4 or 5 where he would present the Chairman’s Progress Report containing the panel’s findings on the flood control scandal. He noted the privilege speech may also contain other documents or pieces of evidence not tackled in the previous hearings.
Once the privilege speech is delivered, he said he may share the contents of the Chairman’s Progress Report with other agencies including the Department of Justice and Ombudsman in their case buildup.
This will also pave the way for the resumption of hearings on the matter. Lacson said he plans to invite, among others, lawmakers including former Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
He said he may also invite former Gov. Luis Singson although Singson has yet to furnish the panel with a copy of his draft affidavit – as well as at least six former soldiers who claimed to deliver huge amounts of cash to certain personalities.
When asked when the Blue Ribbon panel can resume hearings, he said this could be “within the last leg” of the first regular session – or before it adjourns sine die on June 6.
He said the panel will balance its hearings with the possible impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
“Assuming the Articles of Impeachment are transmitted to the Senate, we will have to think of making mornings vacant during the impeachment trial and during session days, so we can hold committee hearings,” he said.
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Lacson: Tangkang ‘Harangin’ ang Imbestigasyon sa Flood Control Mabibigo Dahil Hindi Ito Malilimutan ng Publiko
Mabibigo ang mga pagtatangkang pigilan na makarating sa publiko ang mga natuklasan ng Senate Blue Ribbon Committee sa flood control scandal, dahil hindi malilimutan ng taumbayan ang isyu, giit ni Senate President Pro Tempore at Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Sabado.
Ayon kay Lacson, ito ang dahilan kung bakit nakatakda siyang magbigay ng privilege speech sa susunod na linggo upang ihayag ang kanyang Chairman’s Progress Report — matapos na hindi pa rin makakuha ng sapat na lagda ang partial report ng komite upang maipresenta sa plenaryo.
“Nagagalit na ang mga kababayan natin, hindi na makalimutan ito. Dekada bago siguro if at all makalimutan ito kasi masahol pa ito sa Napoles eh. Ang tawag ko dito ‘Napoles 2’ pero mas masahol pa ito, hindi ito biro-biro,” aniya sa panayam sa DZMM radio.
“As chairman I owe it to the FIlipino people ma-update sila kung ano na nangyari after seven to eight hearings ng committee kasi medyo iba nangangapa pa, tapos ang daming false narratives talagang pinapalabas na may pinagtatakpan, namimili kung sino isasama sa report. At isang pang compelling reason, na-overtake kami ng events,” dagdag niya.
Tinukoy ni Lacson ang kaso ni Janet Lim-Napoles noong unang bahagi ng dekada 2010, kung saan umano’y tumanggap ng bahagi ang ilang mambabatas mula sa mga “ghost project,” habang napunta kay Napoles ang 35 porsiyento at 15 porsiyento naman para sa “paperwork.”
“Mahirap makalimutan ito ng ating kababayan. Lalo pa nga’t may nasalantang pananim, mga kabahayan, tapos may buhay na nawala,” ani Lacson.
Sinabi ni Lacson na bagama’t nakapaghanda na ang Blue Ribbon Committee ng partial report noong Pebrero na naglalaman ng mga paunang natuklasan nito, hindi ito makakuha ng kinakailangang bilang ng lagda upang maihain at maisulong sa plenaryo.
Iginiit din niya na bagama’t iginagalang niya ang posisyon ng mga senador na hindi lumagda sa partial report, hindi siya sang-ayon sa kanilang mga dahilan.
“Duty namin as member ng mga committee di lang BRC na pag nabasa mo ang committee report, pirmahan mo pagkatapos lagay mo will interpellate, will amend, with reservation or will submit separate report or opinion. Ganun dapat. Di ang di ka pipirma para di umusad,” aniya.
Ani Lacson, maaari niyang ihatid ang kanyang privilege speech sa Mayo 4 o 5, kung saan ilalahad niya ang Chairman’s Progress Report na naglalaman ng mga natuklasan ng komite sa isyu ng flood control. Maaari rin aniyang isama sa talumpati ang iba pang dokumento o ebidensiyang hindi natalakay sa mga nakaraang pagdinig.
Matapos maihatid ang privilege speech, sinabi niyang maaari niyang ibahagi ang nilalaman ng ulat sa iba pang ahensiya, kabilang ang Department of Justice at Office of the Ombudsman, upang makatulong sa kanilang case buildup.
Magbubukas din ito ng daan para sa pagpapatuloy ng mga pagdinig. Ayon kay Lacson, plano niyang imbitahan ang iba’t ibang personalidad, kabilang ang mga mambabatas gaya ni dating Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
Posible rin aniyang imbitahan si dating Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis Singson, bagama’t hindi pa nito naibibigay sa komite ang kopya ng kanyang draft affidavit — gayundin ang hindi bababa sa anim na dating sundalo na umano’y naghatid ng malalaking halaga ng pera sa ilang personalidad.
Nang tanungin kung kailan maaaring ipagpatuloy ang mga pagdinig, sinabi ni Lacson na maaari itong mangyari “within the last leg” ng unang regular na sesyon — o bago ito mag-adjourn sine die sa Hunyo 6.
Dagdag pa niya, kailangang iayon ng komite ang iskedyul ng mga pagdinig nito sa posibleng impeachment trial ni Vice President Sara Duterte.
“Assuming na … ma-transmit sa amin ang Articles of Impeachment, kaya naisip namin ibakante ang lahat ng umaga sa impeachment trial at sa aming session nang sa ganoon may pagkakataon gumawa ng committee hearing,” aniya.
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