The Senate investigation into the alleged anomalies in flood control projects is set to resume next Thursday, with a subcommittee expected to handle the hearings.
Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano said senators agreed during a lunch caucus to form a subcommittee that would continue the inquiry into the flood control controversy.
He said Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, vice chairperson of the Blue Ribbon Committee, was tapped to issue hearing notices on Monday, June 1, for the resumption of proceedings on June 4.
“So, we finished a caucus over lunch and we agreed, subject to some minor discussion pa among our chairpersons and the paperwork, that a subcommittee will be formed sa flood control and Senator Marcoleta will issue notices on Monday para ituloy na sa Thursday yung flood control scam hearings,” Cayetano said in a Facebook Live video.
Cayetano assured the public that the investigation would be impartial and urged citizens to closely monitor the proceedings.
“It will be impartial and we want the whole truth and not only some truth or some truth to come out,” he said.
He noted that conflicting claims have emerged on the scope and direction of the probe, including whether there was a mastermind behind the alleged scheme and who should be summoned to testify.
“Kung makikita niyo, may conflict agad. Sabi ng Ombudsman meron mastermind. Sabi ni Senator Lacson walang mastermind. Sabi ni Senator Lacson ito yung mga dapat imbitahan. Sabi naman ni Senator Marcoleta ito dapat imbitahan. So, I’m inviting the whole public, bantayan niyo ang Senado,” Cayetano said.
Senate Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III, however, questioned the move, saying the creation of a Blue Ribbon subcommittee should be done through the plenary.
“Paano magki-create ng subcommittee na hindi sa plenary ginawa? Not legal,” Sotto said in a Viber message to reporters.
“Sa plenary niya gawin sa Monday para legal,” he added.
The planned resumption of the hearings comes as the flood control controversy continues to trigger legal and political fallout, with several officials and lawmakers facing scrutiny over alleged irregularities in infrastructure projects.