The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee has decided to defer its next hearing on alleged irregular infrastructure projects, citing unready documents and scheduling conflicts, its chair Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson confirmed on Saturday.
Lacson said the supposed “tell-all” affidavits of the Discayas and the investigation report from the Manila Regional Trial Court on the notarized document involving TSgt. Guteza and Atty. Espera are still unavailable. “Initially I had scheduled a hearing on Wednesday, Oct. 8… To maximize the discussions, I checked with the DOJ if the supposed ‘tell-all’ affidavit/s of the Discayas were already available… Having been informed that both would not be ready within one week, not to mention that the BRC hearing will be in conflict with the budget and CA hearings, I informed SP Sotto of the cancellation until further notice,” Lacson said in a message to reporters.
The committee, which also skipped a flood control hearing last week, was initially expected to continue its inquiry into the alleged anomalous projects linked to several lawmakers.
Senator Imee Marcos earlier expressed confusion, saying there were talks that no further hearings would be held and that a partial report might be released instead. “Nalilito kami sa Senado at ang balita, ‘di na raw magpapa-hearing ang blue ribbon kundi maglalabas na si Senator Lacson ng partial report. Baka may pinag-usapan sa majority caucus?” Marcos said.
Lacson countered that Marcos could have avoided the confusion by attending the hearings.
He also revealed plans to summon resigned Ako Bicol Representative Zaldy Co and Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez to the next session once it resumes. “For the next hearing of the committee, we will send an invitation letter to his (Co) address… If that is the case, we will issue a subpoena, and then a show-cause order,” he said in an interview with Net25.
Should Co fail to respond, Lacson said the panel may cite him in contempt and issue an arrest warrant.
Meanwhile, Romualdez’s invitation will be sent through House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III, “in observation of the time-honored inter-parliamentary courtesy between the two houses of Congress,” Lacson added.
Both Co and Romualdez have denied any involvement in the alleged anomalies.
