Tag: Senate Blue Ribbon Committee

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Opening Statement at the Blue Ribbon Committee Hearing

We reconvene today for the eighth public hearing on the motu proprio inquiry in aid of legislation and investigation into the flood control anomaly, even as we are already finalizing the partial committee report to be routed to your offices as early as next week.

Contrary to the lies and obfuscations that naysayers are trying to spread around, your Blue Ribbon Committee has accomplished so much since the flood control scandal broke wide open in the middle of last year. Since then, waves of information have dominated the national discourse — at every level of our society, local and national.

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Lacson Turning Up Heat on Corruption in 2026, Hopes President to Do the Same

In the Year of the Fire Horse, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson will turn up the heat against corruption, even as he hopes President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will bring the same fire to the fight.

Lacson said the Filipino people expect no less from their public servants, as they have become more awake and angry after learning how their hard-earned tax money was plundered.

“On a personal note, I thank 2025 for bringing me back all my staff that I left behind in 2022, plus a few assets more. With renewed tenacity and hard work, I am even more encouraged to expose more corruption issues that are similar to what has become the most blatant and unprecedented misuse and abuse of the national budget since I left the Senate three years ago,” he said.

“With a more awakened and angrier citizenry who have never been exposed before to more detailed acts of corruption and plunder of their hard-earned tax money, our national leaders have to brace themselves to address more corruption issues in 2026,” he added.

In Filipino: Lacson, Lalong Paiinitin ang Laban vs Korapsyon sa 2026, Umaasang Ganoon Din ang Gagawin ng Pangulo

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Lacson: Co Needs to Have Claims Properly Authenticated to have Probative Value

To have any probative value, the claims made by resigned Rep. Elizaldy Co recently on social media will have to be properly authenticated – made under oath or affirmed in the Philippine consulate of the country where he is now staying, Senate President Pro Tempore and Blue Ribbon Committee chairman Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Saturday.

Lacson maintained that Co’s claims have no weight as evidence at least for now, because Co was not under oath when he made them and posted them on social media. He added this was why the committee did not play Co’s first video during its hearing Friday.

“Ex-Rep. Zaldy Co needs to have his written affidavit properly authenticated by a consul in the place where he is presently located, then testify under oath before the Blue Ribbon Committee while within the premises of the embassy or consulate in order to make his testimony valid and have probative value. Under such condition, we will resume the Blue Ribbon Committee hearing and hear his testimony,” he said.

“Otherwise, as I have stated earlier, no matter how many Parts or Episodes his narrations are, they will all remain as such – narrations.,” he added.

In Filipino: Lacson: Dapat Authenticated ang mga Pahayag ni Co Para Magkaroon ng Halaga

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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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Lacson: No More Zoom Testimony for Zaldy Co

There will be no more testimony via Zoom for former Rep. Elizaldy Co at the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s investigation into the corruption behind anomalous flood control projects, Senate President and Blue Ribbon Committee chairman Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Thursday.

Lacson said allowing Co to participate virtually in the hearing might give him a platform to say anything he wants, with his testimony lacking probative value – or worse, “propaganda” without the risk of being cited in contempt.

“I didn’t push through with the initial plan to invite him (Co) via Zoom. On second thought, the hearing might afford him a platform to say anything he wants even with no probative value and worse for propaganda purposes only without any accountability for at least possible contempt citation,” he said.

In Filipino: Lacson: Wala Nang Zoom Testimony para kay Zaldy Co

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