Amid the leadership change in the Senate on Monday, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson assured the public Tuesday that the Blue Ribbon Committee’s findings so far on the flood control anomalies would not go to waste.
Lacson said the committee under his leadership had already contributed to the fact-finding and case buildup efforts of the Department of Justice and Office of the Ombudsman against some personalities.
“Our findings would not go to waste. First of all, we already contributed to the preliminary investigation of the Department of Justice and Office of the Ombudsman, through testimonial and documentary evidence,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino in an interview on DZMM radio.
In Filipino: Lacson: Hindi Masasayang ang mga Natuklasan sa Flood Control Probe sa Kabila ng Pagbabago sa Liderato ng Senado
He also noted that since he already disclosed the contents of the Chairman’s Progress Report in a privilege speech last May 5, the updated findings have become part of the public record and may now be shared with the DOJ and Ombudsman.
Lacson said he had ordered the transmittal of the evidence to the Ombudsman and DOJ.
He earlier explained that while he refrained from making the evidence public before his privilege speech because this may violate the rules of the Senate, his speech paved the way for the evidence to be used by the DOJ and Ombudsman in their case-building efforts.
Also, he had reminded colleagues – including those linked to the flood control mess – of their “shared responsibility” to sign the partial committee report so it can be discussed on the floor. He added the Blue Ribbon partial report in plenary may be their platform to defend themselves.
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Lacson: Hindi Masasayang ang mga Natuklasan sa Flood Control Probe sa Kabila ng Pagbabago sa Liderato ng Senado
Kahit na nagkaroon ng pagbabago sa liderato ng Senado noong Lunes, tiniyak ni Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Martes na hindi masasayang ang mga natuklasan ng Blue Ribbon Committee sa mga anomalya sa flood control projects.
Sinabi ni Lacson na ang komite sa ilalim ng kanyang pamumuno ay nakapag-ambag na sa fact-finding at case buildup efforts ng Department of Justice at Office of the Ombudsman laban sa ilang personalidad.
“Hindi naman masasayang. Kasi unang una naka-contribute kami maski papano sa preliminary investigation ng Department of Justice and Office of the Ombudsman. So may nauna nang mga testimonial and documentary evidence na naipadala na doon,” aniya sa panayam sa DZMM radio.
Binanggit din niya na dahil isinapubliko na niya ang nilalaman ng Chairman’s Progress Report sa kanyang privilege speech noong Mayo 5, naging bahagi na ito ng public record at maaari nang ibahagi sa DOJ at Ombudsman ang updated findings.
Ayon kay Lacson, ipinag-utos na niya ang pagpapadala ng mga ebidensiya sa Ombudsman at DOJ.
Nauna nang ipinaliwanag ni Lacson na bagama’t hindi niya isinapubliko ang mga ebidensiya bago ang kanyang privilege speech dahil maaari itong lumabag sa mga tuntunin ng Senado, nagbigay-daan naman ang kanyang talumpati upang magamit ng DOJ at Ombudsman ang mga ito sa kanilang case-building efforts.
Pinaalalahanan din niya noon ang kanyang mga kasamahan – kabilang ang mga iniuugnay sa flood control mess – tungkol sa kanilang “shared responsibility” na lagdaan ang partial committee report upang matalakay ito sa plenaryo.
Dagdag niya, maaari ring magsilbing plataporma ng mga ito ang partial report ng Blue Ribbon sa plenaryo upang maipagtanggol ang kanilang sarili.
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