Marcoleta out; Lacson is new Blue Ribbon chair
MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Pro Tempore Ping Lacson is the new chair of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, replacing Sen. Rodante Marcoleta.
After the coup that overthrew Sen. Chiz Escudero as the Senate President, his officers were also replaced, and a reshuffling of the committees is in order. Those who did not vote for Senate President Tito Sotto will automatically become the minority, thereby losing the major committees they hold.
“He [Marcoleta] is not a member of the majority. The Blue Ribbon is reserved for the majority,” Sotto told reporters.
Pressed further if Lacson will replace Marcoleta, Sotto said “yes”.
Sotto also confirmed that Sen. Win Gatchalian will be retained as the Committee on Finance chair.
The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee is the group tasked to investigate alleged wrongdoings. Historic probes have held by that committee, from the Priority Development Assistance Fund scam to the Pharmally scandal.
Its most pertinent case right now is the massive flood control corruption that was unveiled after multi-billion peso ghost projects started being exposed.
Marcoleta has garnered some criticism with how he had handled the flood control probe.
Some have pointed out that while Centerways Construction contractor Lawrence Lubiano was present in some of the hearings, he was conveniently not questioned about his ties to Escudero. Lubiano is one of the top earning contractors in the country, who also happened to donate to Escudero’s campaign in 2022.
Other senators have also appeared irked with Marcoleta’s handling of the hearings.
During one of the Blue Ribbon hearings, an irate Sen. Raffy Tulfo accused Marcoleta of being unfair when allotting time for senators to question, giving more leeway to ally Sen. Bato dela Rosa.
Sen. Kiko Pangilinan has also called out Marcoleta for seemingly misattributing a bill to him rather than Sotto.
Prior to being appointed as the Blue Ribbon Committee Chair, Lacson had already been critical of the ghost flood control projects. One of his key claims was that upwards of P1 trillion in flood control funds could have been lost to corruption.
Escudero was replaced by Sotto after the latter secured 15 votes from senators: those who voted for him are now the new Senate majority. The Senate has yet to unveil the official list of votes.
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