Senate Pres. Tito Sotto Yet To See Blue Ribbon’s Flood Control Report
TITO SOTTO
– The Senate President is against the removal of the names of senators Chiz Escudero, Jinggoy Estrada, and Joel Villanueva in the flood control report.
After the creation of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure,
House Speaker Bojie Dy claimed that the flood control investigation is best left in the hands of the ICI
. The commission was formed under the order of Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. amid the supposed massive flood control corruption in the government.
While the House of Representative immediately stopped its flood control probe, the Senate continued its flood control investigation. Its probe is led by the Blue Ribbon Committee chaired by Senate President Pro Tempore Ping Lacson.
The Senate invited some government officials into the flood control probe. The issue has implicated not only many members of the House of Representatives and officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) but as well as some senators and former senators.
Recently, amid the rumors and speculations, Senate President Pro Tempore Ping
Lacson confirmed that the Blue Ribbon may recommend the filing of flood control charges against senators Chiz Escudero, Jinggoy Estrada, and Joel Villanueva
Former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo claimed that Sen. Escudero allegedly receive multi-million kickback from the government projects. Former DPWH Engineer Brice Hernandez claimed that Sen. Estrada and Sen. Villanueva supposed got budget insertions.
Senate President Pro Tempore Ping Lacson confirmed that the flood control report of the Blue Ribbon Committee is a draft and is not final. It has also yet to secure the needed 15 signatures to get the report to the plenary. Recently, Senate Pres. Tito Sotto spoke on the said flood control report.
Senate Pres. Tito Sotto admitted that he is against the removal of the names of senators Chiz Escudero, Jinggoy Estrada, and Joel Villanueva in the flood control report of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee. He also claimed that there is not an attempt from some senators to push for it.
“Wala naman. Wala naman ganun. Hindi mo naman puwedeng sabihin kay Sen. Lacson ‘yun
,” Sotto said.
Senate President Pro Tempore Ping Lacson previously stressed that he will stand by the report of the Blue Ribbon Committee based on its flood control investigation. Aside from the senators, the committee also recommended the filing of raps against former Sen. Bong Revilla, former House member Zaldy Co, and former Caloocan lawmaker Mitch Cajayon-Uy. Based on a
post
With regards to former Sen. Bong Revilla who claimed that he is innocent from the flood control corruption accusation, he is currently detained at the New Quezon City Jail in Payatas. He is allegedly involved in the multi-million “ghost” flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan.
Photo Source: ABS-CBN
The camp of former Sen.
Bong Revilla has requested the Sandiganbayan for his transfer to Camp Crame
and the anti-graft court recently released its decision.