Blue Ribbon Committee Hearing on Flood Control Projects (Nov. 14, 2025)

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson’s Opening Statement at the Hearing:

Before we proceed to the substantive discussions, the Committee will deal first with some administrative matters for the record:

All members of the House of Representatives implicated by the Discaya spouses, as well as Cong. Martin Romualdez and Cong. Eric Yap cited by Mr. Orly Guteza, were invited to attend this hearing. Incumbent Congressmen were invited through a letter dated 12 November 2025 to Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy of the House of Representatives.

According to Speaker Dy, the members will not be appearing before the Committee today in order to avoid any possible prejudice to the ongoing investigation and eventual findings of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), given that the invited members have already submitted themselves to its jurisdiction and proceedings.

Mr. Zaldy Co was similarly invited to appear before this Committee—however, his lawyer, Atty. Ruy Alberto Rondain, replied that Mr. Co is unable to attend, citing that he is still overseas due to medical reasons.

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More Names Named: Hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on Flood Control Projects

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee resumed on Sept. 25, 2025 its hearing on the corruption behind substandard and ghost flood control projects.

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On the Exchange Over the New Senate Building

While the public hearing conducted by the Committee on Accounts is a correct call by the present Senate leadership since the issue involves public funds, the ensuing exchange between two former colleagues last Wednesday was painful to watch, to say the least.

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On the Issues Regarding the New Senate Building

While I agree with Senate President Francis Escudero’s decision to review the new P23.3B cost of the Senate building from the original P8.9B estimate when we started the construction, I would like to clarify the following:

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On Theories Behind the Senate Coup

Only a reenactment of that sore foot kicking a Senate president out of his seat can make us believe this.