Lacson: Minority report on flood control a disrespect to blue ribbon panel

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo "Ping" Lacson on Wednesday said he finds a report that was signed by some members of the minority bloc disrespectful to the blue ribbon committee, which he chairs.

Lacson said that the so-called minority report carries no weight, stressing that the only report that will be recognized will be the one coming from the blue ribbon committee itself.

“Wala naman sa rules ‘yan, eh. Hindi ko alam kung bakit biglang nagkaroon ng minority report. So, wala. Wala lang. Pinadala niya sa blue ribbon [committee]. Anong gagawin ko roon?” Lacson said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview.

(That's not in the rules. I don't know why there was a minority report all of a sudden. It’s nothing. It was just sent to the blue ribbon committee, but what am I supposed to do with it?)

“How would they expect na irerespeto ko ‘yung kanilang minority report even as a reference kung ‘yung minority report mismo symbolizes o nagsi-symbolize ng disrespect ‘yun eh sa committee? Papaano ko rerespetuhin ‘yun?” he added.

(How would they expect me to respect their minority report even as a reference if the minority report itself symbolizes disrespect for the committee? How can I respect that?)

Senators Imee Marcos and Rodante Marcoleta on Wednesday released the report, which was signed by six out of nine members of the minority bloc. Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano was among those who did not sign.

For her part, Marcos said: “Ang pinatunguhan ng Minority Report ay ang taumbayan.” 

(The ultimate destination of the Minority Report is the Filipino people.) 

“Ang mamayang Pilipino ay hindi basurahan - kahit pa paulit-ulit nang tinatakpan at binababoy,” she added. “Wala akong alam sa basurahan. Hindi ako ang may basurang pinagtatakpan.” 

(The Filipino citizens are not a trash can—no matter how many times they are repeatedly covered up and defiled,” she added. “I know nothing about garbage. I am not the one with trash to hide.) 

GMA News Online has also reached out to Marcoleta for comment.

The report indicated that it was submitted to and was received by the office of Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III on December 10, 2025. 

Sotto, however, said that when his office received the report from Marcoleta’s office, it was forwarded to the blue ribbon committee, being the proper venue to submit all documents relating to the ongoing hearing on the flood control mess. 

The Senate President also said that the report is just a “piece of paper” unless it is taken up during the plenary session.

One key finding in the report is the implication of former speaker and Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez, noting that he is liable for the controversy. 

Romualdez has yet to answer the allegation, but he has repeatedly denied involvement in the flood control scandal.

For Lacson, the former speaker may be invited again by the blue ribbon committee in the next hearing, but he said that the latter could not be compelled to attend due to inter-parliamentary courtesy that both Houses of Congress observe. —with Vince Angelo Ferreras/KG/BM, GMA Integrated News