Erwin Tulfo suspends Blue Ribbon meeting amid Mindanao earthquake

Senator Erwin Tulfo, chairperson of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, on Monday suspended a consultative meeting on the alleged anomalous flood control projects “until further notice” following the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Mindanao.

Tulfo cut short the meeting in light of the quake, expressing solidarity with affected communities.

“We sympathize with the victims of the earthquake in Mindanao. Tatapusin na muna natin (We will end for now)," he said.

"We suspend this meeting bilang paggalang sa mga biktima ng matinding lindol sa Mindanao (as a sign of respect for the victims of the strong earthquake in Mindanao),” the senator added.

Tulfo said he had spoken with Acting Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian, noting that members of the majority bloc would be ready to extend assistance to earthquake victims as needed.

The Gatchalian-led bloc of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee held a "consultative meeting" to reorganize and fully constitute the panel.

Among those invited were 18 males who claimed to be former personnel of the Philippine Marine Corps and allegedly acted as couriers for kickbacks in government projects, along with their legal counsel, Atty. Levi Baligod.

The resource persons appeared at the Senate but refused to attend the meeting called by Tulfo, and instead stayed at the Office of Senator Robinhood Padilla to hold a press conference.

“Maging ang kanilang mga pahayag sa media ay magulo na. Kanina sabi nila willing sila bumaba, then kumambyo naman si Atty. Baligod na ayaw bumaba dahil baka ma-cite in contempt ng committee, dahil ang akala natin nagsisinungaling sila,” Tulfo said.

(Even their statements to the media are already confusing. Earlier they said they were willing to go downstairs [to attend], then Atty. Baligod backtracked and said they would not go down for fear of being cited in contempt by the committee, because we thought they were lying.)

“Nevertheless, ayaw nilang um-attend sa meeting na ito. Tatlong beses na naming inanyayahan sila, at inutusan na rin ang Blue Ribbon Secretariat, pero wala pa ring tugon,” he added.

(Nevertheless, they do not want to attend this meeting. We have invited them three times already, and the Blue Ribbon Secretariat has also been instructed to call them, but there has still been no response.)

Tulfo said their refusal to participate raises questions about their credibility and intent.

“Pumunta sila dito pero ayaw bumaba sa meeting. Parang optics lang ito para sabihing dumalo sila, pero sa totoo, ayaw nilang pumasok sa hearing kahit ilang beses na silang inimbitahan,” he said.

(They came [to the Senate] but do not want to go down to the meeting. It seems this is just for optics to say they attended, but in truth, they do not want to enter the hearing despite being invited several times.)

Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan said the panel would extend another invitation in future hearings and warned that the committee may cite them in contempt if they continue to refuse to attend.

"We will again invite these 18 in the next meeting and in the coming days. At the proper time, if they continue to refuse, we can issue subpoenas, and if they still refuse, they may be cited in contempt and eventually ordered arrested once the Blue Ribbon Committee is fully constituted,” he said.

Gatchalian hits 'drama'

In a separate interview, Gatchalian echoed Pangilinan’s remarks, saying the alleged bagmen will be invited to the succeeding consultative meetings.

“Yes, they will be invited,” he told reporters.

“Andito na sila eh, sana pumunta na lang sila dito. Why all the drama? Andito na sila and this is the best venue to tell the truth," he said.

(They were already here, so why all the drama? This is the best venue to tell the truth.)

"Sabi ko nga, kung malinis ang konsensya mo at magsasabi ka ng totoo, pumunta ka dito. Kahit ma-contempt ka, ma-pressure ka, magsabi ka lang ng totoo,” Gatchalian added.

(As I have said, if your conscience is clear and you are telling the truth, you should attend the hearing. Even if you may be cited in contempt or pressured, just tell the truth.)—MCG, GMA News