Sotto bares names of possible new Senate blue ribbon committee chair

Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III on Tuesday identified the senators who may serve as the new chairperson of the blue ribbon committee after Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson resigned from the post.

Interviewed on GMA Integrated News’ Unang Balita, Sotto said the following may be considered for the chairmanship of the Senate blue ribbon committee:

• Senator Joseph Victor "JV" Ejercito
• Senator Raffy Tulfo
• Senator Pia Cayetano
• Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan 
• Senator Risa Hontiveros

“Sigurado, para sa akin, kung sino ang rekomendasyon ni Senator Lacson would have a very strong edge over anybody else,” Sotto said.

(For sure, for me, whoever Senator Lacson recommends would have a very strong edge over anybody else.)

“So pag-uusapan namin. As a matter of fact, I called a caucus bukas ng tanghali, kaming mga members ng majority, para pag-usapan itong nangyari sa resignation ni Senator Lacson,” he added.

(So we will discuss. As a matter of fact, I called a caucus tomorrow noon with the members of the majority to discuss the resignaation of Senator Lacson.)

Lacson on Monday resigned as chairman of the blue ribbon committee amid the ongoing probe of the panel into corruption in flood control projects.

In a letter addressed to Sotto, Lacson cited the dissatisfaction of other senators on the "direction" of the legislative inquiry into the alleged anomalous flood control projects for his resignation.

"In the course of the current investigation, which has implicated some senators in the flood control mess, a number of our colleagues have expressed disappointment with the 'direction' of the Blue Ribbon Committee, which this representation chairs," said Lacson.

"Furthermore, some senators publicly and secretly pursue the narrative that I am zeroing in on several of my colleagues while purportedly protecting those members of the Lower House perceived to be the principal actors in the budget anomalies related to the substandard and ghost flood control projects," he said. 

According to Sotto, he tried to convince Lacson to stay as the blue ribbon committee chairperson days before he filed the resignation.

“This resignation letter is a notice of leave. Hindi ito asking permission. Kung asking permission, puwede nating pag-usapan sa plenaryo o kaya ako as Senate President. Pero ito desidido siya,” Sotto said.

(This resignation letter is a notice of leave. It is not asking for permission. If it is asking for permission, we can discuss it in the plenary or I can as the Senate President. But Lacson is really determined.)

"Sinusubukan ko na ng dalawang araw. Hindi pa siya nagsa-submit ng sulat noon kaya sinusubukan ko. Pero itong pagkaka-submit niyang ito, palagay ko hindi na natin kayang kumbinsihin.)

(I have been trying for two days. He has not submitted a letter before so I am trying. But this time he already submitted this, I don’t think we can convince him anymore.)

Sotto noted that Lacson is still a member of the committee despite his resignation as chairperson.

Meanwhile, in an ambush interview, when asked who he wanted to lead the blue ribbon committee, Senator Jinggoy Estrada said there are a lot of qualified senators, but specifically named Pia Cayetano.

“There’s Senator Pia Cayetano who once held the chairmanship of the blue ribbon committee. She being a member of the majority,” he said.

Estrada said the call to continue the committee’s hearings will be up to the new chairman. — KG/RSJ, GMA Integrated News