Senate blue ribbon to submit partial report on flood control mess — Lacson

The Senate blue ribbon committee is set to submit a partial report on the alleged anomalous flood management projects, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson said Monday.

"Magsa-submit kami ng partial committee report based on information so far gathered during the previous hearings," Lacson, also the panel chairperson, told reporters.

(We will submit a partial committee report based on information so far gathered during the previous hearings.)

According to Lacson, the committee report is currently being crafted and may be sponsored [in] the Senate plenary after the conclusion of the ongoing debates on the proposed national budget for 2026.

He also said the powerful Senate panel may continue its investigation into the flood control mess but would now exclude issues included in the cases filed with the Sandiganbayan, including the flood management projects in Mindoro.

"Ang complication is may sub judice rule na. Nasa Sandiganbayan na ang most issues na na-raise during the BRC hearings," he said.

(The complication is that there is a sub judice rule since most cases raised during the hearings are included in the cases filed with the Sandiganbayan.)

"Ibang areas, hindi yung na-cover ng cases filed," he added.

(We may touch other issues that are not covered by the cases filed.)

The next hearing may be scheduled after the Senate plenary debates on the proposed 2026 national budget.

"Depende kasi may mga information still coming in and kung may magte-testify, we'll resume. Kung wala na, what's the use?" Lacson added. 

(The continuation will depend on the information still coming in. If someone will testify, we'll resume. If there's none, what's the use?)

On November 14, the Senate committee continued its probe into the alleged anomalous flood management projects.

During the hearing, former Department of Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo implicated more individuals, including ex-Secretary Manuel Bonoan, into the alleged kickback scheme in the government infrastructure projects. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News