Lacson to return as Blue Ribbon chair

SENATE PRESIDENT Vincente “Tito” C. Sotto on Tuesday confirmed that Senator Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson is set to return as head of the Blue Ribbon Committee.

When asked if Mr. Lacson will return to chair the committee, Mr. Sotto said: “Yes.”

“In the course of our many conversations, it has come to his (Sen. Ping) attention regarding the clamor of some of our colleagues and the public that he retakes the committee,” he told reporters via Viber.

Mr. Lacson earlier resigned as the committee chair, noting criticism from fellow senators on his handling of the chambers probe on anomalous flood projects.

“Some senators publicly and secretly pursue the narrative that I am zeroing in on several of my colleagues while purportedly protecting those members of the lower house perceived to be the principal actors in the budget anomalies related to the substandard and ghost flood control projects,” Mr. Lacson said in his resignation letter.

The senator had earlier stated that his return as committee chair may trigger another change in the Senate’s leadership.

The Senate is investigating irregularities in multibillion-peso flood control projects, following reports that lawmakers and officials received kickbacks from infrastructure funds allocated since 2022. — Adrian H. Halili