Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Thursday, May 21, welcomed the appointment of Senator Pia Cayetano as the new leader of the powerful Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, describing the leadership transition as a personal relief.
Cayetano’s assumption of the post comes exactly one week after her brother, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, was elected as the new Senate President.
“Double relief. I feel relieved that I am now relieved of my duties as the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chairman,” Lacson stated in a social media post.
While relinquishing his post, the veteran lawmaker clarified that committee chairmanships are ultimately dictated by the collective will of the chamber and that senators serve at the pleasure of their colleagues. However, Lacson maintained that his exit from the panel would not diminish his crusade against government anomalies.
Prior to stepping down, Lacson led the committee’s high-profile investigation into controversial, anomalous flood control projects and managed to release a chairman’s progress report detailing the initial findings of the probe.
He emphasized that stripping him of the chairmanship will not halt his oversight efforts, promising to remain a fierce watchdog over the national budget from the Senate floor.
“I will continue to fight a corrupt and rotten system in the misuse and abuse of public funds as I have consistently done in the course of my long years in public service,” Lacson added.