Hontiveros assures probe on flood mess to continue
Senate Blue Ribbon Committee presides the hearing regarding the ghost flood control projects presided by Senator Rodante Marcoleta. In attendance were the contractors summoned by the committee to answer queries regarding anomalies including Sara Discaya of Alpha and Omega General Contractor & Development Corporation, Mark Allan Arevalo of Wawao Builders, Marjorie Samidan or MG Samidan Construction, Roma Angeline Rimando of St Timothy Construction Corporation, among others.
Photograph by Aram Lascano for DAILY TRIBUNE
Senator Risa Hontiveros assured the public on Wednesday, 10 September, that the Senate investigation on the anomalous flood control project will continue under the new Blue Ribbon Committee leadership.
"Those that were started by the previous leadership in the Senate or in each committee will continue," Hontiveros said in Filipino.
"The same goes for the bills we filed, the investigation of other resolutions. Of course, our very important work in formulating the budget will continue, and now in a more transparent, accountable, and open manner," she added.
On Monday, 8 September, newly-installed Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III announced that Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo "Ping" Lacson will head the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, replacing Senator Rodante Marcoleta.
Hontiveros said that the only pending duty of the Senate is the one that is related to the impeachment case of Vice President Sara Duterte, which was archived in August.
Voting 19-4-1, senators approved a resolution to archive the articles of impeachment against Duterte--a decision that neither closed permanently nor advanced it to trial, but instead set it aside while the Supreme Court reviews an appeal from the House of Representatives.
Other than that, Hontiveros assured that "all the work of the Senate continues."