Category: TV

Posted on

Lacson: Ex-Rep. Zaldy Co Will be Invited to Blue Ribbon Hearing; Former Speaker Romualdez to be Invited through Speaker

Resigned Rep. Elizaldy Co and former Speaker Martin Romualdez will be invited to the next hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s investigation into the corruption behind anomalous flood control projects, Senate President Pro Tempore and Blue Ribbon Committee chairman Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Tuesday.

Lacson said this should debunk the perception of some sectors that the Blue Ribbon Committee is targeting, favoring or even “protecting” some personalities.

“For the next hearing of the committee, we will send an invitation letter to his address. Now we know he is abroad and will not show up. If that is the case, we will issue a subpoena, and then a show-cause order,” Lacson said in a mix of English and Filipino in an interview on NET25. “We are not covering up for anyone here.”

“If the show-cause order is not satisfactory, we will cite him in contempt of the committee and issue a warrant for his arrest,” he added.

In Filipino: Lacson: Ex-Rep. Zaldy Co Iimbitahan sa Blue Ribbon Hearing, Former Speaker Romualdez Iimbitahan din via Speaker Dy

Continue reading “Lacson: Ex-Rep. Zaldy Co Will be Invited to Blue Ribbon Hearing; Former Speaker Romualdez to be Invited through Speaker”

Posted on

Lacson to Fellow Lawmakers: Revelations on Huge Budget Insertions a Wake-Up Call to Make 2026 Budget Pork-Free

The revelations on humongous budget insertions by the Senate and House of Representatives in the 2025 budget is not meant to put anyone on the spot but be a chance for both houses of Congress to heed the public’s outrage against corruption and ensure a pork-free budget for 2026 and beyond, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Tuesday.

Lacson said he explained this to fellow senators in a caucus Monday, where some of them voiced concerns that the revelation over the insertions could affect the institution.

“I can actually feel and understand completely the sentiments expressed by my colleagues, at least the members of the majority bloc during our majority caucus yesterday, so I explained to them that the mention of ‘almost all senators’ was not intended to put them or the whole Senate on the spot, nor did I have the intention of calling them out particularly,” Lacson said.

“The overarching reason for my disclosure or revelation was to point out that we must accept the fact that we are all in crisis owing to the recent anomalies involving the substandard and even ghost flood control projects unearthed in the course of the Blue Ribbon Committee hearings and other similar investigations,” he added.

In Filipino: Lacson sa mga Kapwa Mambabatas: Pagbubunyag ng Malalaking Budget Insertions, Pampagising Para Alisin ang Pork sa Budget

Continue reading “Lacson to Fellow Lawmakers: Revelations on Huge Budget Insertions a Wake-Up Call to Make 2026 Budget Pork-Free”

Posted on

Lacson: Congress is the ‘Original Sin’ Behind Flood Control Project Hell

Floods and the corruption behind substandard and ghost flood control projects have turned Filipinos’ lives into a living hell, and Congress is the “original sin” behind it all.

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson stressed this on Monday as he said the logical conclusion to the Senate investigation on the matter must at least reach this “original sin.”

“We must make sure that the logical conclusion does not stop with Henry Alcantara, Brice Hernandez, Sally Santos or the Discayas. We must see to it that the logical conclusion reaches the ‘original sin,'” Lacson, who chairs the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee looking into the mess, said in Filipino in an interview on True FM.

“Congress is the original sin here. If congressmen and senators did not insert funds, there would be no funds for corrupt Department of Public Works and Highways officials to play with, especially in the district engineering offices. It has come to a point where corruption became systemic, where even junior functionaries invent their own money-making schemes,” he added.

Lacson is to chair the next hearing of the Blue Ribbon Committee on Tuesday, Sept. 23, at 9 a.m. He said he has asked Senate President Vicente Sotto III to slightly delay the start of the regular session to 4 p.m.

In Filipino: Lacson: Kongreso ang ‘Original Sin’ sa Impyerno ng Maanomalyang Flood Control Projects

Continue reading “Lacson: Congress is the ‘Original Sin’ Behind Flood Control Project Hell”

Posted on

Lacson: Massive P457-Million Cash Delivery to DPWH Engineers May Point to Bigger Players in Flood Control Project Mess

Massive cash deliveries made to now-sacked engineers of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), including a P457-million one-time delivery last March, may point to bigger players in the flood control project mess, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Friday.

Lacson, who also chairs the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, said it is baffling why a contractor is delivering cash to DPWH engineers for projects when it should be the other way around.

He was referring to the cash deliveries made by Syms Construction owner Sally Santos to sacked DPWH Bulacan engineer Brice Hernandez at least three times this year alone.

In Filipino: Lacson: Dambuhalang P457-M Cash Delivery sa mga Inhinyero ng DPWH, Maaaring Magturo sa Mas Malalaking Tao sa Flood Control Mess

Continue reading “Lacson: Massive P457-Million Cash Delivery to DPWH Engineers May Point to Bigger Players in Flood Control Project Mess”

Posted on

Lacson in ‘Sagasa Mode,’ Waiting for ‘Receipts’ on Flood Control Project Commissions to Senators

After confirming multimillion-peso budget insertions in 2023 and 2025 tied to Senators Joel Villanueva and Jinggoy Estrada, Senate President Pro Tempore and Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson is now waiting for “receipts” or proof of commissions they allegedly got from flood control projects.

Lacson said Friday that the “receipts” will aid in crafting stronger anti-corruption and accountability measures, as well as help the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) and other prosecution bodies like the Ombudsman or Department of Justice.

In radio and TV interviews Friday morning, Lacson said he will ask Senate President Vicente Sotto III to allow ex-Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineer Brice Hernandez to leave the Senate premises under escort, to produce these “receipts.” Hernandez had given details linking the two senators and a member of the House of Representatives to the insertions and claimed they got 30% commissions from flood control projects.

In Filipino: Lacson, ‘Sagasa Mode’ Na, Naghihintay ng ‘Resibo’ sa Flood Control Komisyon ng mga Senador

Continue reading “Lacson in ‘Sagasa Mode,’ Waiting for ‘Receipts’ on Flood Control Project Commissions to Senators”