SENATE BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE TO INVITE CO, ROMUALDEZ IN NEXT HEARING

RESIGNED Rep. Elizaldy Co and former Speaker Martin Romualdez will be invited to the next hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s ongoing 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 (Co) 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.

“We are not covering up for anyone here,” he added.

“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 further said.

In the case of Romualdez, Lacson said the invitation will be coursed through House Speaker Faustino Dy III, “in observation of the time-honored inter-parliamentary courtesy between the two houses of Congress.”

Lacson said the committee is waiting for some developments in the case before scheduling the next hearing.

Also, he made it clear that the Blue Ribbon Committee will continue its hearings for as long as there are new major developments that it needs to look into. He reiterated he will maintain a blindfold mentality, meaning he will be impartial and go where the evidence leads him.

This means that while it hurts to see some of his colleagues implicated in the mess, he cannot stop the resource persons concerned from testifying.

“If we stop the probe now, we may reinforce the perception rightly or wrongly that we are covering up for someone. No. I said it clearly, we will go where the evidence leads us,” he said.

“I will not be distracted by the noise that I am partial, that I am covering up for or targeting someone. My guiding principle is to go where the evidence leads me, and to do the right thing,” he added. “Nobody is being targeted. Neither will anyone be shielded or spared. No matter how unpopular, even painful for me to hear the names of my colleagues being implicated by resource persons, I will not be deterred.”

ICI Changes

Lacson said the changes in the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), where former Philippine National Police chief Rodolfo Azurin will replace Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong as adviser, will not affect the Blue Ribbon Committee’s hearings.

He added that while he is saddened that Magalong resigned as an adviser to the ICI because of his potential contributions through his institutional knowledge, he is excited that Azurin will get a chance to contribute as well.“Generals Azurin and Magalong worked directly under me when I headed the PNP. I know their work ethic, integrity, and work experience,” he said.