Senator Robinhood Padilla on Monday, 3 November, called on his colleagues to “stay calm” and trust the leadership of Blue Ribbon Committee Chair Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson.

In a Facebook post, Padilla said the Blue Ribbon Committee “has become a Red Ribbon with no one willing to lead it.”

“I know it is difficult to ask for calmness, but it will not help the Senate if we continue to throw mud at who will lead the investigation,” Lacson said.

“It is good that Senator Panfilo Lacson is back to lead,” he added.

Padilla said that while members of the Minority Bloc favor Senator Rodante Marcoleta’s leadership, they recognize that the minority does not have the authority to appoint the committee chair.

He expressed gratitude that Lacson will again lead the panel instead of “other senators whose political leanings are obvious” and who could be “the source of a more heated exchange of mud that will sink the Senate deeper into quicksand.”

In September, Lacson replaced Marcoleta as chair of the Blue Ribbon Committee.

However, on 7 October, Lacson resigned as lead prober of the alleged anomalous flood control projects, citing disappointment from fellow senators over his leadership.

The names of Senators Erwin Tulfo, Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Pia Cayetano, JV Ejercito, Risa Hontiveros, and Raffy Tulfo have since been floated as possible replacements.

With no one clearly leading the committee, Lacson announced his return as chair and tentatively set the next flood control hearing for 14 November.