Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V of La Union on Thursday urged critics to stop political pressure and noise after Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chair Panfilo Lacson declared that there is no evidence linking former Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez to the flood control project controversy.
Ortega said Lacson’s statement should settle the issue and refocus public discourse on facts, not speculation.
“Senator Lacson was clear: the Senate can only follow where the evidence leads. If there is no evidence, there should be no political pressure, no manufactured outrage, and no trial by publicity,” he said.
Lacson pointed out that no witness has directly implicated the former Speaker, except for Orly Guteza, who appeared before the Senate Blue Ribbon panel but whose testimony remains unsubstantiated.
The Senate President Pro Tempore noted that Guteza failed to appear before the Department of Justice, the Office of the Ombudsman, or the Independent Commission on Infrastructure to formally surface and affirm his claims under oath—raising serious doubts about the credibility and legal weight of the accusations.
Ortega stressed that investigations—especially those conducted by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee—must be guided by sworn statements, documents, and verifiable proof, not insinuations.
“Accountability is important, but it cannot be built on rumors or unsubstantiated claims,” the House leader said. “In the absence of affidavits and documentation, the responsible course is to stop the noise and allow institutions to do their work.”
Ortega said Lacson’s position reinforces due process and institutional independence, noting the senator’s categorical statement that neither he nor Malacañang blocked any inquiry and that pressure, even if attempted, would not influence the committee.
“That is how investigations should be conducted—calmly, independently, and anchored on evidence,” he said.
Persistent political attacks despite the lack of proof only undermine public trust and distract from genuine reform efforts, the lawmaker said.
“Our people deserve clarity, not chaos,” Ortega said. “Let evidence speak. If there is none, then it is time to stop politicizing the issue and move forward.”
