Lacson to return as Senate Blue Ribbon chairman – Sotto

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo "Ping" Lacson will be reinstated as the chairperson of the Senate blue ribbon committee just weeks after he resigned from the post amid its investigation into anomalous flood control projects.

Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III bared the development on Tuesday, confirming that Lacson will definitely return as head of the powerful committee.

"Long story. In the course of our many conversations, it has come to his (Lacson's) attention [regarding the] clamor of some of our colleagues and the public that he retake the [committee]," Sotto said. 

To recall, Lacson resigned as blue ribbon committee chairman on October 6, citing the dissatisfaction of other senators on the "direction" of the legislative inquiry on the substandard and ghost flood control projects.

Following his resignation, Senator Erwin Tulfo, vice chairman of the committee, was named as the acting chairperson of the panel. 

Lacson said Monday that should he decide to return as committee chairman, Sotto should be ready to face the consequences of it as they may lose some members of the majority bloc and possibly his Senate presidency. 

GMA News Online has requested comment from Lacson regarding his return to the blue ribbon committee chairmanship, as confirmed by Sotto.

'Internal struggles'

Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, meanwhile, asked Lacson not to drag the minority bloc in the "internal struggles" of the majority.

"Kung may tampuhan man sila sa majority, ayos lang 'yan (If they have squabbles within the majority, that's fine). Politics will always have its share of drama. But let's not turn the Senate into a teleserye. The blue ribbon committee is not about personalities. It's about serving the people and protecting the dignity of the institution," Cayetano said. 

The Senate blue ribbon committee is tasked to investigate all matters relating to malfeasance, misfeasance, and nonfeasance in office by officers and employees of the government, its branches, agencies, subdivisions and instrumentalities; implementation of the provision of the Constitution on nepotism; and investigation of any matter of public interest on its initiative or brought to its attention by any member of the Senate. — VDV, GMA Integrated News