Fate of Blue Ribbon flood control probe up to senators — Erwin Tulfo

Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chairperson Erwin Tulfo said Sunday he would consult fellow senators on whether the panel should continue its investigation into the alleged flood control fund anomalies.

Tulfo said the committee must first be formally constituted before any decision can be made.

"Senate President [Sherwin] Gatchalian and I also agreed that, once the committee is formed—hopefully this coming week—we will finalize the Blue Ribbon membership. We will then have a vice chairperson and members from the minority," he said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.

According to Tulfo, the Blue Ribbon Committee will decide whether to proceed with its own inquiry or defer to the Office of the Ombudsman, which is already investigating some of the cases.

"I will convene the committee and ask for the consensus of both the majority and minority. Should we continue handling these flood control cases? Especially those that have already been discussed [in the committee], investigated, and are now with the Ombudsman?

"Should we continue investigating them, or should we just leave them to the Ombudsman?" Tulfo added.

The Blue Ribbon Committee last held a hearing on the alleged flood control anomalies on June 8, at the height of the Senate leadership dispute between senators Gatchalian and Alan Peter Cayetano.

The Senate is also expected to begin an investigation into flood control projects in Taguig City that have been linked to Cayetano.

Moreover, Tulfo acknowledged that the Senate's schedule is already packed, with the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte still ongoing and several legislative measures awaiting deliberation.

"I will listen to the decision of both the majority and minority members of the Blue Ribbon Committee on the direction we should take. Right now, we already have a lot on our plate," he said.

"The Ombudsman is already investigating. If the Blue Ribbon also investigates, that would be duplicative. What's the point? We conduct investigations in aid of legislation, while the Ombudsman investigates for possible prosecution,"

Tulfo said the committee may leave the cases already under investigation to the Office of the Ombudsman. However, he said the Blue Ribbon panel remains open to launching its own inquiry if new personalities become implicated.

"Yes, for those existing cases. But if there are new developments or new officials become implicated, then we will investigate," he said.— MCG, GMA News