Lacson mulls resignation as Senate Blue Ribbon chair

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson is stepping down as chairperson of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee following criticism from some colleagues over how he handled the investigation into alleged anomalies in flood control projects.

In a radio interview on Sunday, Lacson confirmed that he is preparing his resignation letter and may formally announce it when the Senate resumes session.

“Kung nagkukulang na ng pagtitiwala ang aking kasamahan, especially kung mas marami sa kanila, hindi na masaya sa pagha-handle sa akin sa blue ribbon, naisip ko na maybe stepping down is an option (If my colleagues are beginning to lose trust in me, especially if most of them are no longer satisfied with how I’m handling the Blue Ribbon Committee, then I’ve started to consider that maybe stepping down is an option),” Lacson said.

He emphasized that Senate committee chairs serve at the pleasure of their colleagues and acknowledged that several senators had expressed disappointment with the conduct of the inquiry.

“Since all chairpersons of the Senate committees are elected by our peers, I serve at the pleasure of my colleagues, particularly the members of the majority,” he said.

“Rightly or wrongly, when quite a number of them have expressed disappointment over how I’m handling the flood control project anomalies, I thought it’s time for me to step aside in favor of another member who they think can handle the committee better,” Lacson added.

Lacson said he has not yet spoken with Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III about his resignation.

Despite the idea of relinquishing his post, Lacson vowed to continue his advocacy against corruption, stressing that he would not be deterred by criticism or political pressure.

“No amount of criticisms from misinformed netizens and partisan sectors can distract or pressure me from doing my job right, but when my own peers start expressing their group or individual sentiments, maybe it is best to vacate,” he said.

“Nevertheless, I will continue to fight a corrupt and rotten system in the misuse and abuse of public funds as I have consistently done in the course of my long years in public service," he added.

The senator also addressed what he described as “false narratives” being spread online, denying accusations that he shielded allies in the House of Representatives, including former Speaker Martin Romualdez and ex-Representative Elizaldy Co, while focusing the probe on certain senators.

Both Romualdez and Co have been prominently identified by contractors as key figures behind the questionable flood-control projects.

Despite the allegations, Lacson maintained that he conducted the hearings properly, suggesting that efforts to undermine the proceedings may be fueling public perception that the investigations were biased or mishandled.

“If you ask me, I would say I handled the hearings well,” Lacson pointed out.

“But there are those trying to disrupt the hearings. In one instance, the hearing had barely started when someone tried to make a distraction. That is why there is a perception that the hearings were not handled well,” he further pressed.

The continuation of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on the alleged flood-control anomalies and other DPWH infrastructures irregularities was originally set for next week. But it has been postponed until further notice due to pending affidavits and documents that are not yet ready.

The next hearing was initially scheduled for Wednesday and was intended to summon a former DPWH official allegedly involved in substandard infrastructure projects.