LACSON: BLUE RIBBON TO TRANSMIT FLOOD CONTROL EVIDENCE TO OMBUDSMAN, DOJ

THE Senate Blue Ribbon Committee is to transmit to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Office of the Ombudsman the evidence it has so far gathered in its investigation into the flood control mess, Senate President Pro Tempore and Blue Ribbon panel chairman Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Wednesday.

Lacson said the pieces of evidence – including documents, testimonies and transcripts -are now a matter of public record after he cited them in his privilege speech Tuesday.

“Moving forward, I ordered the preparation of a transmittal letter to the Office of the Ombudsman to give all pieces of evidence -documentary, testimonial, and transcripts. It is now a matter of public record as I cited them in my privilege speech,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino at the Kapihan sa Senado forum.

He said that while he did not make 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.

In an interview on DZBB radio, Lacson said the evidence includes a handwritten note by the late Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Ma. Catalina Cabral showing Sen. Rodante Marcoleta requested P500 million in “allocables” for infrastructure projects.

“Based on requests for allocables, the late Usec Cabral allocated P500 million in projects to Sen. Marcoleta. The document is not among those in the possession of the Ombudsman so we will furnish a copy to them,” he said.

When asked at the Kapihan if Marcoleta would be recommended for investigation, Lacson said not at this time.

“Sa ngayon hindi. Kung may ghost na attributed sa kanya, kung may participation siya sa naging ghost or substandard (Not at this time. If there are ghost projects attributed to him),” he said.

The committee had sought to remove allocables and “leadership funds” as they paved the way for corruption. 

It will also verify additional flood control projects in the Visayas and Mindanao to see how widespread the corruption behind such projects is.

“We will zero in on allocables given due course by the DPWH. We’ll zero in on projects that are defective and substandard. Allocables are not illegal per se but I personally believe it’s not appropriate for legislators to request projects from the implementing agency,” he said.

He also said the committee is seeking to encourage “horizontal and vertical convergence” for projects, involving coordination with local government agencies and the implementing agencies, instead of whimsically requesting allocables for favored contractors to implement.

Asked if the Blue Ribbon panel would hold another hearing before the Senate adjourns sine die on June 6, he said there is a “big possibility.”

“We’re consolidating the documents to make sure the next hearing covers issues not covered by the previous hearings. Allocables could be one issue, especially if we find allocable-funded projects that are substandard or ghost,” he said.

‘SHARED RESPONSIBILITY’

Lacson 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.

“If they sign the partial report and it is sponsored in plenary, that’s their platform to defend themselves. During interpellation, they can refute parts of the report and move to strike them out. And if they convince me as the chairman, I will accept their motion to strike out parts of the report,” he said.

“We want a healthy deliberation so we can hear all sides. The committee report is based on the evidence it gathered during committee hearings,” he added.

As for those who insist that there is an overall mastermind, Lacson said they should gather and present their evidence, as the committee’s findings so far indicate there is no “overall mastermind.”

MARCOLETA CLAIM

Meanwhile, Lacson debunked anew Marcoleta’s claim that he has “changed,” saying his stand against wrongdoing has never wavered, and it never will. He added it is Marcoleta who appears to have changed, citing his recent actions that he described as “wala sa hulog (out of line).”

“Ang sabi ni Sen. Marcoleta, hinahangaan daw niya ako nung chief PNP ako. Wala pa raw nakakagawa ng ginawa ko noon. Ano daw ba ang nangyari at nagbago ako. Hindi po ako nagbago at hindi kailanman magbabago. Si Sen Marcoleta ang nagbago kasi ‘nawala siya sa hulog’ (Sen. Marcoleta said he respected me when I was Chief PNP because no one could do what I did then. He wonders what caused me to change. I never changed and will never change. It is Sen. Marcoleta who changed because he is out of line),” Lacson said on X.

On Tuesday, Marcoleta insisted on interpellating Lacson who had delivered his privilege speech containing updates on the Blue Ribbon panel’s flood control probe – despite Lacson making it clear that he would not entertain questions until after he files and sponsors the partial committee report, which still needs two signatures before it can be filed and sponsored.

Lacson, in his privilege speech, emphasized that he has never wavered in his actions against corruption and other forms of abuse throughout his public life, and not only when he was PNP chief from 1999 to 2001.

“I have built my career and my reputation over decades on a simple principle: that noise never overpowers duty, and intimidation never silences me,” he said.