Senate Blue Ribbon Chair to Deliver Flood Control Report Through Privilege Speech

The Senate blue ribbon committee has been investigating alleged corruption in flood control projects since its first hearing eight months and nine days ago. The committee's partial report has not yet obtained the required nine signatures for formal filing and sponsorship in the plenary.

The committee chair, Senator Ping Lacson, stated he will deliver the findings through a privilege speech when the Senate session resumes in May. Lacson said this approach allows the Senate to address the flood control issues without needing additional signatures from committee members.

“I will present it via a privilege speech entitled ‘The Chairman’s FCP [Flood Control Project] Progress Report.’ At least if it’s a privilege speech — since some members don’t want to sign”

As of April 27, the report has signatures from six senators: Lacson, Senate President Vicente Sotto III, and senators Erwin Tulfo, Bam Aquino, Kiko Pangilinan, and Risa Hontiveros. Lacson stated that after presentation in the plenary, the progress report containing the partial findings may be forwarded to the Department of Justice and the Office of the Ombudsman.

The hearings have addressed alleged multi-million-peso kickbacks involving politicians, contractors, and government officials. Committee members who have not signed include senators Joel Villanueva, Jinggoy Estrada, and Mark Villar. Senator Chiz Escudero, not a committee member, was mentioned in connection to the controversy.

Senator Rodante Marcoleta, the former committee chair, has also not signed the report. Marcoleta led the committee at the start of the 20th Congress but was removed following a leadership reshuffle after Escudero's ouster as Senate president. Lacson assumed the chairmanship, resigned briefly a month later citing questions about his handling of hearings, and returned to the position over a month after that.