Tag: NET 25

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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

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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

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Lacson Bares New ‘Per Page’ Moneymaking Scheme by Junior DPWH Personnel

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson exposed on Friday yet another moneymaking scheme at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), this time involving junior personnel who require contractors to submit documents priced at thousands of pesos per page.

Lacson said these additional “requirements” are imposed by the “juniors” at the District Engineering Office level are on top of the regular commissions and “obligations” contractors are made to pay.

“Corruption has become systemic where greed has evolved. Now they add requirements that cost money per page of bidding documents and material testing reports. Even individual pages of documentary requirements come at a price,” he said in Filipino in an interview on NET25.

In Filipino: Lacson: Binuking ang Bagong ‘Per Page’ Raket ng Junior DPWH Personnel

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Lacson: Senate Flood Control Probe to Continue Even with Independent Commission; Blindfold Mentality to be Guide

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson will maintain a “blindfold mentality” in presiding over the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s probe into the corruption behind anomalous flood control projects – even as he maintained there is no need to stop the Senate probe now that Malacanang has created an independent probe commission since they should complement each other.

Lacson stressed Friday that this mentality, which has always guided his investigations, means the committee will base its findings on evidence, and will spare no one – not even legislators or employees. The panel’s next hearing is scheduled for Sept. 18.

He added that the P355-million insertion in the 2025 budget, one of the subjects of the investigation, has brought to light the need to identify the proponents of amendments or insertions in crafting the budget. This transparency is one of the budget reforms Lacson has repeatedly fought for.

In Filipino: Lacson: Tuloy ang Senate Flood Control Probe Kahit na May Independent Commission; Blindfold Mentality ang Magiging Gabay

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Lacson Demolishes DPWH Secretary’s Claim that Ghost Projects in Bulacan an ‘Isolated Case’

Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Friday demolished the claim of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan that the ghost flood control projects in Bulacan’s first engineering district are an isolated case.

Lacson said that in looking into the greed and corruption behind several defective and ghost flood control projects, he had his staff conduct case studies not only in Bulacan but also in Mindoro and other areas.

He also stressed that now is the time for the DPWH to conduct a full internal audit of its projects, starting with the flood control projects.

“When you say it is an isolated case, it sounds like a defense mechanism. It suggests you don’t intend to conduct a full-scale and comprehensive investigation. And I expected that, so I had my teams check projects in other areas,” he said in Filipino in an interview on True FM, when asked about the matter.

“I expected that ‘isolated case’ line and I can say this is not an isolated case. That is why we conducted case studies in Pampanga, Northern Luzon and other areas, just to debunk the claims that Bulacan is an isolated case,” he added.

In Filipino: Lacson, Dinurog ang Pahayag ng DPWH Secretary na ‘Isolated Case’ ang Ghost Projects sa Bulacan

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