While seeing the fate that befell some of his colleagues in the flood control project scandal is painful, the evidence has spoken, Senate President Pro Tempore Ping Lacson said.
Lacson, who chairs the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, maintained that the investigation into the issue must be fair and follow where the evidence leads, and not target or cover up for anyone.
“It is not a pleasant thing to see some of our colleagues face charges or jail due to the flood control scandal. But painful as it is, I have always maintained that we will go where the evidence leads us. We will not force ourselves to look for evidence that will target certain people including our colleagues in the Senate,” the veteran legislator said in English and Filipino in an interview on DZMM radio.
“If we will investigate mainly in aid of legislation just to cover up for some people, we might as well not investigate at all.”
“It is painful for me particularly, and for other senators who participate in the hearings. But we cannot do anything about it. If we will investigate mainly in aid of legislation just to cover up for some people, we might as well not investigate at all,” the lawmaker added.
The senator pointed out that in his opening statement at the hearing of the Blue Ribbon Committee recently, he stressed that the investigation will not target or cover up for anyone.
“Fair is fair.”
“Fair is fair. That is why I maintain that there is integrity in the hearings of the Blue Ribbon Committee, in fairness to the members who actively participate,” Lacson said.
During the Blue Ribbon Committee hearings, several pieces of evidence – including documents and testimonies – were presented that linked some senators to irregularities in flood control projects.
Much of the evidence used to build cases against those involved stemmed from the committee hearings, he noted.
Lacson added that is why the attempts by some colleagues to belittle the Blue Ribbon’s work is insulting, “and at the very least unfair, not just to me but the members who have actively participated and contributed in no small measure to the ongoing investigations by the Ombudsman and Department of Justice.”
“We give copies of the evidence the committee gathered to the Ombudsman and DOJ. Through that, they had enough evidence to establish probable cause, that’s why there are now arrest warrants being issued,” he concluded.
