Zaldy Co to still be invited to Blue Ribbon probe — Sotto

Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said Tuesday that former Ako Bicol party-list Representative Zaldy Co will still be invited to the next hearing of the Senate blue ribbon committee despite the resignation of Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson as panel chairman.

Prior to his resignation, Lacson announced that Co and former Speaker Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez will be invited to the next hearing on the anomalous flood control projects.

“Si Zaldy Co puwede na talagang imbitahan kaagad ‘yun sapagkat ‘yun ay hindi na congressman,” Sotto said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview.

(Zaldy Co can be invited immediately because he’s no longer a congressman.)

Co was reported to have left for the US for health reasons. He resigned from the House and his exact whereabouts remain unknown.

“Kung si Congressman Romualdez iimbitahin, kailangan imbitahin. Hindi siya pwedeng i-subpoena dahil meron tayo nung inter-parliamentary courtesy na tinatawag,” Sotto explained.

(If Congressman Romualdez has to be there, he should be invited. We cannot subpoena him because we observe the inter-parliamentary courtesy.)

Both Co and Romualdez have denied allegations that they are linked to the flood control scandal.

On Saturday, Lacson said the Senate blue ribbon committee suspended initial plans to resume its investigation into questionable flood control projects, as some documents for the next hearing will not be ready in time due to conflict with other Senate inquiries.

Lacson on Monday resigned as chairman of the blue ribbon committee, citing the dissatisfaction of other senators on the "direction" of the legislative inquiry.

Sotto then identified five senators who may replace Lacson, namely: JV Ejercito, Pia Cayetano, Raffy Tulfo, Kiko Pangilinan, and Risa Hontiveros. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News