Sen. Ping Lacson To Ask for Sen. Rodante Marcoleta’s Help in Finding Orly Guteza
PING LACSON – The Senate President Pro Tempore claimed that the surprise witness presented by Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, Orly Guteza, could not be found.
The Senate continued with its investigation amid House Speaker Bojie Dy saying that the flood control probe is best left in the ICI or the Independent Commission for Infrastructure. It was formed under the order of President Bongbong Marcos for the investigation of the supposed multi-billion flood control scam.
The Senate flood probe is led by the Blue Ribbon Committee. However, previously, the flood control investigation was on pause after Sen. Ping Lacson resigned from being the chairman of the Blue Ribbon Committee.
Senate Pres. Tito Sotto previously claimed that Lacson was frustrated over the remarks of their fellow lawmakers in the upper chamber over the direction of the flood control investigation. The post was offered to five senators but they seemingly had no interest for it.
Senators Kiko Pangilinan and Raffy Tulfo stressed that they already lead three (3) Senate committees that they want to focus on. Sen. JV Ejercito believes that someone can lead the panel better than him. Senators Risa Hontiveros and Pia Cayetano were mum on the offer.
Meanwhile, amid the break of the flood control investigation, Senate Pres. Tito Sotto confirmed that Sen. Ping Lacson will retake the Senate Blue Ribbon committee chairmanship. There will still be an election but Lacson bared his plans if he will be reelected to lead the investigative panel.
According to the Senate President Pro Tempore, he wants to invite a very special witness, Orly Guteza. He is a former marine as well as a former staff of Zaldy Co who is one of the accused in the flood control issue. During a previous Senate flood hearing, Guteza claimed that he allegedly delivered suitcases filled with millions of cash to the residences of Co and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Orly Guteza was presented by Sen. Rodante Marcoleta. However, based on a report on PhilStar, the Manila RTC’s executive judge also found the signature of the lawyer that signed the affidavit of Guteza as inconsistent with the other documents that she signed. The lawyer previously denied signing the sworn statement of the surprise witness of Sen. Marcoleta.
Based on the report, Orly Guteza could no longer be found. Senate President Pro Tempore Ping Lacson said there was negative presence of Guteza in his registered home address. He plans to ask for the help of Sen. Rodante Marcoleta in locating the witness he presented during a previous flood probe.
“Ngayon, ‘pag ‘di siya makita, ia-appreciate na lang namin ‘yung kanyang sinumpaang salaysay on its face value,” Lacson told One News during a story conference.
Sen. Ping Lacson further expressed that they will send a subpoena to Orly Guteza through the office of Sen. Rodante Marcoleta. Based on the report, he also claimed that the witness was spotted through a CCTV footage staying inside the office of the Senator for around half an hour before he testified at the session hall.
According to Sen. Ping Lacson, if he will be reelected as the Blue Ribbon chairman, he wants the flood control probe to resume on November 14.