After hours of speculation inside the Senate, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III confirmed that Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson will now chair the Senate Committee on Accountability, Public Officers and Investigations—more commonly known as the powerful Blue Ribbon Committee.
Lacson replaces Senator Rodante Marcoleta, who held the chairmanship under the leadership of ousted Senate President Chiz Escudero. Marcoleta had initiated the probe into the government’s anomalous flood control projects.
For Atty. Barry Gutierrez, political analyst and ally of former Vice President and now Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo, the decision to replace Marcoleta with Lacson is a welcome development, though he emphasized that the integrity of the investigation will depend on Lacson’s actions.
“Well ako sa dulo naman diba, the proof of the pudding is in the eating ibig sabihin depende kung ano yung gagawin sa susunod,” Gutierrez remarked.
Gutierrez also praised the election of Sotto as Senate President, taking a swipe at Escudero in the process.
“Kahit papaano naman napalitan na si Senator Chiz Escudero ni Senator Tito Sotto bilang Senate President, atleast yung nakaupo bang Senate President ngayon hindi naman on record na tumanggap ng ₱30 million na donasyon mula sa isang contractor na pinagbabawal sa Omnibus Election Code,” he said.
It will be recalled that Lacson, in his privilege speech, was the first to expose the rotten system of corruption in the government’s flood control projects.