Estrada, Marcoleta elected Blue Ribbon vice chairs
MANILA, Philippines — Sens. Jinggoy Estrada and Rodante Marcoleta were elected Monday, May 25, as vice chairpersons of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, the panel leading the chamber’s investigation into the multibillion-peso flood control scandal.
Acting Majority Leader Joel Villanueva announced the composition of the committee, formally called the Senate Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations, during plenary session.
Sen. Pia Cayetano was elected its chairperson last week.
Joining as majority members are Senators Bong Go, Robin Padilla, Francis Escudero, Imee Marcos, Camille Villar and Mark Villar.
The minority’s representatives in the Blue Ribbon Committee were not announced. Villanueva said these "will come later on as we give a copy of the list to our minority leader, as we agreed upon."
Flood control history
Both Estrada and Marcoleta have either been entangled in or accused of having indirect ties to individuals linked to alleged irregularities in flood control projects.
The Department of Justice on May 18 transmitted to the Office of the Ombudsman a resolution recommending plunder and graft charges against Estrada and former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan in connection with alleged anomalies in flood control projects.
The Ombudsman will conduct an independent review before deciding whether to file cases before the Sandiganbayan. Estrada has denied the allegations.
Meanwhile, Marcoleta previously chaired the Blue Ribbon Committee when it held early hearings on alleged anomalies in flood control projects.
During his chairmanship, Marcoleta was questioned by then-fellow panel member Sen. Ping Lacson over his push to place contractors Pacifico and Sarah Discaya, whose firms have been linked to alleged ghost projects, under the Witness Protection Program. Lacson later succeeded him as chair.
Marcoleta’s wife, Edna, sits as an independent, non-executive director of Stronghold Insurance and Milestone Guaranty and Assurance, two firms reported to have issued surety bonds to Discaya-owned contractors.
Marcoleta has denied any conflict of interest and previously called the accusations a smear campaign.
The reshuffle of the powerful Blue Ribbon Committee comes two weeks after the May 11 power grab that installed Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate president, replacing former Senate President Tito Sotto III.
The leadership change triggered a revamp of committee chairmanships.
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