Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson on Saturday said the arrest of former Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Zaldy Co in Europe may encourage more senators to sign the partial report of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee investigating the alleged flood control scam.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. confirmed that Co was arrested in Prague last Thursday after allegedly attempting to enter Germany without proper documentation.
Lacson, who chairs the committee inquiry, emphasized that hearings will only resume once the committee report is formally submitted to the Senate plenary.
“Mag-file muna tayo ng committee report bago tayo mag-resume ng hearing kasi anong saysay ng mga hearing natin kung wala tayong ilalabas na committee report?” Lacson noted.
The senator had earlier postponed the April 14 hearing, which was expected to feature former Ilocos Sur Governor Chavit Singson, citing the need to first consolidate and formalize initial findings.
Lacson also said the progress of the investigation now depends on remaining committee members who have yet to affix their signatures to the report.
“Nasa kanilang balikat ‘yung sense of duty, ‘yung sense of responsibility as a member of the blue ribbon committee na magpirma ng committee report,” he said. “Now it’s on them, it’s not on the chairman.”
As of Thursday, the report had secured six of the nine required signatures. Those who have already signed include Senate President Vicente Sotto III, and Senators Bam Aquino, Risa Hontiveros, Kiko Pangilinan, and Erwin Tulfo.
Lacson said the next steps in the investigation now hinge on whether the remaining senators will act on their “sense of duty” to complete the committee report, which would pave the way for its presentation to the Senate floor.