Lacson: Draft Blue Ribbon report found no proof linking Marcos to flood control mess

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee has so far found no basis to hold President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. accountable in connection with the alleged flood control irregularities, Senator Panfilo Lacson said on Sunday.

“Wala kaming makita na may pananagutan ang Pangulo batay sa imbestigasyon ng Senate Blue Ribbon Committee kasi ang presidente, nag-a-approve talaga ng GAA kapag napunta sa kanya. Hindi naman siya ang nag-prepare ng GAB,” Lacson said in an interview with Super Radyo dzBB.

(We did not find any basis to hold the President accountable based on the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s investigation. It is the President’s role to approve the General Appropriations Act once it is submitted to him. He does not prepare the General Appropriations Bill.)

Lacson added that the issue of Marcos' accountability is better left to the judgment of the House Committee on Justice, which had earlier dismissed the impeachment complaints against the President.

“It is better left to the appreciation of the House Committee on Justice kasi dinismiss na nila ang kaso. Ako, personally, wala akong alam sa nilalaman ng impeachment complaint,” he said.

(It is better left to the judgment of the House Committee on Justice because they have already dismissed the case. Personally, I am not familiar with the contents of the impeachment complaint.)

However, Lacson said the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee would still discuss the proper course of action, including any possible culpability, in relation to the flood control controversy.

On Wednesday, the House Committee on Justice junked two impeachment complaints filed against Marcos, citing insufficiency in substance.

One complaint, filed by lawyer Andre de Jesus, accused the President of betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution, among other allegations.

The other complaint, filed by the Makabayan bloc, alleged that Marcos committed betrayal of public trust over the adoption of the Baselined-Balanced-Managed (BBM) parametric formula in allocating infrastructure projects, which allegedly led to “ghost,” substandard, and overpriced flood control projects.—MCG, GMA Integrated News