Senate Pres. Tito Sotto Reveals Names of Senators Who May Be Next Chairman of Blue Ribbon Committee
Five (5) senators are candidates to be the next chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee amid the flood control investigation.
Amid the flood control issue in the Philippines, President Bongbong Marcos ordered the creation of the Independent Commission for Infrastructures or the ICI. The three-member body is tasked to investigate the flood control mess that angered countless Filipinos across the nation.
The ICI is armed with broad powers including the power to issue a subpoena to compel a person’s attendance to the probe. It also has the power to move for the freezing or seizure of the assets linked to anomalies. Following the creation of the independent body, the House of Representatives stopped its flood control probe.
Newly-elected House Speaker Bojie Dy claimed that the flood control probe is allegedly best done by Marcos Jr.’s independent commission. With regards to the Senate, the upper chamber continued its investigation which is led by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee. However, undeniably, the senators are also clashing amid the issue amid some of them being tagged in the flood control mess.
Senate President Pro Tempore Ping Lacson recently resigned from being the chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee that leads the flood control probe. Prior to Lacson, the chairman of the committee was Sen. Rodante Marcoleta who is now part of the Minority bloc following the Senate shakeup.
According to Senate Pres. Tito Sotto, Lacson is allegedly frustrated, thus, he resigned from the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chairmanship. He stressed that he understands the side of Lacson “to a certain extent”.
“Sen. Lacson is frustrated. He is not stressed. Ang nakikita niya, frustrated kasi naghe-hearing sya, may umaangal bakit naghe-hearing. Kapag hindi siya naghe-hearing may umaangal bakit hindi naghehearing,” Sotto said.
Recently, based on a report on GMA News, Senate Pres. Tito Sotto revealed the names of senators who may be the next chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee. They are the following:
Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito
Sen. Raffy Tulfo
Sen. Pia Cayetano
Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan
Sen. Risa Hontiveros
Previously, prior to his resignation, Sen. Ping Lacson confirmed that the Senate will invite Zaldy Co and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez to the flood probe. Thus, after he stepped down from the position, countless Filipinos ask if the flood control probe will continue the same path.