Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson assured Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla that the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s recommendations on the flood control scandal were firmly grounded in evidence presented during public hearings.
The chair of the chamber’s antigraft panel made the remarks a day after Remulla described as “politics” the committee’s decision to revise its initial draft report recommending preliminary investigation against Senators Chiz Escudero, Jinggoy Estrada, and Joel Villanueva.
“Being a former congressman, (Ombudsman) Remulla knows the play of politics in both chambers of Congress,” Lacson said.
He stressed that the committee’s work was based on records established during the hearings, including witness testimonies and documentary evidence gathered during the months-long inquiry.
“I can only assure him and the public that the pieces of evidence gathered during the (blue ribbon committee) hearings, both testimonial and documentary have remained as our guide in making our recommendations,” he added.
Lacson also addressed the circulation of a leaked draft of the partial committee report, saying revisions did not alter its substance or direction.
“Nothing has changed from the leaked draft as far as substance and intent, only a few words and phrases to substitute for some vague depiction of the intention in the original draft partial committee report,” he explained.