Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson on Tuesday announced that resigned Rep. Elizaldy Co and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez will be invited to the next Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on alleged corruption in flood control projects.
Lacson, who chairs the panel, said Co would first be sent an invitation letter to his last known address.
“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,” he said. “We are not covering up for anyone here.”
If Co’s explanation proves unsatisfactory, Lacson said the Senate could hold Co in contempt and seek a warrant for his arrest.
For Romualdez, Lacson emphasized that the invitation would be coursed through incumbent House Speaker Faustino ‘Bojie’ Dy III.
He said this procedure respects the long-standing inter-parliamentary courtesy between the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Currently, the committee is waiting for new developments in the case before setting the date of the next hearing.
“If we stop the probe now, we may reinforce the perception rightly or wrongly that we are covering up for someone. We will go where the evidence leads us,” he said.
Lacson vowed to uphold what he called a “blindfold mentality,” pledging fairness and adherence to wherever the evidence leads.
“Nobody is being targeted. Neither will anyone be shielded or spared. No matter how unpopular, even painful for me to hear the names of my colleagues being implicated by resource persons, I will not be deterred,” he said.
