Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson announced on Saturday that he will deliver a privilege speech next week to provide the public with a comprehensive update on the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s investigation into a massive flood control racket.
Lacson, who chairs the anti-corruption panel, plans to take the floor during the resumption of the regular plenary session on Monday.
He intends to present the “Chairman’s Progress Report,” a move designed to bypass a current deadlock caused by a lack of signatures from other committee members.
The veteran lawmaker explained that the speech will feature new evidence and documents that have yet to be scrutinized in public hearings.
“As blue ribbon chairman, I owe it to the Filipino people to update them on what happened after seven to eight hearings,” Lacson stated in a radio interview.
The decision to deliver a speech comes amid concerns that the investigation is being misrepresented by outside narratives.
Lacson expressed a need to clarify the committee’s direction and address allegations of selective targeting or cover-ups.
“This is because many are not updated and especially because there are false narratives being spread that we are covering up for some persons and targeting others,” he said. “Another compelling reason is that the partial committee report’s contents have been overtaken by events.”
The internal report has been stalled since February. Under Senate rules, a committee report requires a majority of members’ signatures to be officially filed and sponsored.
Currently, only six senators have signed: Lacson, Senate President Vicente Sotto III, and Senators Erwin Tulfo, Risa Hontiveros, Bam Aquino, and Kiko Pangilinan.
Lacson emphasized that while he respects his colleagues’ individual stances, he believes the refusal to sign hinders the legislative process.
“It is our duty as members of committees, not just the blue ribbon committee, to sign a committee report and indicate whether we will interpellate, will amend, have reservations or will submit a separate report or opinion. We should not refuse to sign just to block the report from reaching the plenary,” he noted.
By delivering the findings as a privilege speech, the information becomes part of the public record. Lacson plans to transmit these findings to the Department of Justice and the Office of the Ombudsman to support potential criminal case build-ups against those involved in the scandal.
Looking ahead, Lacson indicated that hearings could resume during the final weeks of the first regular session before the June 6 adjournment.
He acknowledged, however, that the Senate must carefully manage its calendar if it is called to convene as an impeachment court for Vice President Sara Duterte.
“Assuming the articles of impeachment are transmitted to the Senate, we will have to think of making mornings vacant during the impeachment trial and during session days so we can hold committee hearings,” Lacson said.