Senate Pres. Tito Sotto Reveals Sen. Ping Lacson To Return as Blue Ribbon Chairman
PING LACSON – The Senator is returning as the chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee as per Senate President Tito Sotto.
The Senate flood control investigation is led by the Blue Ribbon Committee. However, the probe temporarily stopped after Sen. Lacson stepped down from the panel’s chairmanship. He cited the dissatisfaction of some of his fellow lawmakers in the upper chamber over the “direction” of the investigation.
Following the resignation of Sen. Ping Lacson, five (5) senators were held as candidates for the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chairmanship. They are senators Raffy Tulfo, Risa Hontiveros, JV Ejercito, Pia Cayetano, and Kiko Pangilinan. Tulfo and Pangilinan immediately declined the post saying they want to focus in their existing committee chairmanships while Ejercito stressed that he knows his limitations and he believes there might be someone who can lead the Blue Ribbon Committee better.
With the post left between the lady senators, Senate Pres. Tito Sotto announced that Sen. Erwin Tulfo, the vice chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, is also one of those who may be the panel’s next chairman. Not long after it, he announced that Tulfo is the acting chairman of the committee.
When Lacson stepped down, there were calls for him to reconsider his decision. Pangilinan is one of those who hoped that the Senate President Pro Tempore will choose to stay in the Blue Ribbon Committee’s lead but he respected his resignation. Recently, an unexpected development crossed the surface.
Senate Pres. Tito Sotto confirmed that Sen. Ping Lacson is returning as the chairman of the Blue Ribbon Committee. Based on a report on PhilStar, it has come to the Senator the call of their fellow senators for him to retake the position.
“Long story. In the course of our many conversations, it has come to his (Lacson’s) attention [regarding the] clamor of some of our colleagues and the public that he retake the [committee],” Sotto said.
Based on the report, prior to the confirmation of his return as the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chairman, Senate President Pro Tempore Ping Lacson claimed that Senate Pres. Tito Sotto must allegedly be ready to face the consequences if he will return in the panel’s lead. According to him, they may lose some members of the majority bloc and Sotto might be ousted.
The Senator has yet to speak on his decision to return as the Blue Ribbon Committee chairman. Recently, Sen. Ping Lacson disclosed his Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth or SALN which showed a huge growth in his net worth in just three (3) years.