Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman Panfilo Lacson said the public must be given accurate and complete information on the ongoing flood control investigation, as he moves to present the panel’s findings before the Senate plenary.
Lacson said he intends to deliver a progress report summarizing the results of several hearings, citing the need to counter what he described as misleading claims surrounding the inquiry. The report will outline key findings gathered so far, even as the committee continues its investigation.
The move comes amid differing views within the Senate over a draft or partial report that has yet to secure enough signatures for formal adoption. Some lawmakers, including Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, have called for a broader and more comprehensive approach, stressing that conclusions should not be drawn from incomplete findings.
Lacson maintained that presenting the report at this stage does not mean all members are in full agreement, noting that Senate procedures allow for debate, revisions, and further scrutiny once the matter reaches the plenary.
Despite disagreements within the panel, he said each member’s position is respected, even as he pushes to make the committee’s work more transparent to the public.
The Blue Ribbon hearings, which have spanned several sessions, have examined alleged irregularities in flood control projects and the use of public funds. According to Lacson, the proceedings have already surfaced key pieces of evidence that have contributed to ongoing case build-ups and investigations by agencies such as the Office of the Ombudsman, the Department of Justice, and the Anti-Money Laundering Council.
He also noted that the inquiry was partly driven by calls from Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to hold officials accountable for misuse of government funds, particularly in infrastructure projects meant to address flooding.
Lacson said presenting the committee’s progress to the full Senate would help ensure that the public receives verified information, rather than relying on speculation, as the investigation moves forward.