MANILA — The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s much-anticipated hearing into alleged irregularities in flood control projects has been put on hold once again, with chairman Sen. Panfilo Lacson citing the unavailability of key documents and a conflict with upcoming budget deliberations.
Lacson confirmed that the hearing, originally set for October 8, was suspended after the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) failed to deliver crucial documents, including the “tell-all” affidavits of contractors Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya and Cezarah Rowena “Sarah” Discaya and the results of a separate probe into a notarized document involving TSgt. Guteza and Atty. Espera.
“Initially I had scheduled a hearing on Wednesday, Oct. 8…. To maximize the discussions, I checked with the DOJ if the supposed ‘tell-all’ affidavit/s of the Discayas were already available,” Lacson said.
“Corollary to that, I also checked with the office of the executive judge of Manila RTC if they have concluded the investigation on the possible violations of the notarized document involving TSgt. Guteza and Atty. Espera,” he added.
“Having been informed that both would not be ready within one week, not to mention that the BRC hearing will be in conflict with the budget and CA hearings, I informed SP Sotto of the cancellation until further notice,” Lacson further said.
The Blue Ribbon Committee is investigating allegations of bid-rigging and fund anomalies in billions worth of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) flood control projects, many of which were linked to the Discaya couple.
Lacson reiterated that former Ako Bicol party-list representative Zaldy Co and Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez remain on the committee’s list of resource persons due to their alleged involvement in the questionable transactions.
“For the next hearing of the committee, we will send an invitation letter to his (Co) address. Now we know he is abroad and will not show up. If that is the case, we will issue a subpoena, and then a show-cause order,” Lacson said.
“If the show-cause order is not satisfactory, we will cite him in contempt of the committee and issue a warrant for his arrest,” he added.
As for Romualdez, Lacson clarified that the request will go through House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III, following inter-chamber courtesy protocols.
Both Co and Romualdez have denied any wrongdoing in the alleged anomalous DPWH transactions./PN
