MANILA, Philippines—The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee led by Sen. Panfilo Lacson will verify flood control projects in Visayas and Mindanao and letter requests from some legislators asking "allocables" for infrastructure projects.
Lacson on Wednesday said the committee has sent teams in Visayas and Mindanao to see how widespread the corruption behind the flood control projects.
"We will zero in on allocables given due course by the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways). We'll zero in on projects that are defective and substandard," he said.
"Allocables are not illegal per se but I personally believe it's not appropriate for legislators to request projects from the implementing agency," Lacson said.
The senator said he will transmit to the Department of Justice and the Office of the Ombudsman the evidence the committee gathered in its investigation into the flood control fund scandal.
The Senate president pro tempore said the pieces of evidence -- including documents, testimonies and transcripts -- are now a matter of public record after he cited them in his privilege speech Tuesday.
Lacson said that while he did not make the evidence public before his privilege speech because this may violate the rules of the Senate, his speech paved the way for the evidence to be used by the DOJ and Ombudsman in their case-building efforts.
In a radio interview earlier that day, Lacson said the evidence includes a handwritten note by the late DPWH undersecretary Ma. Catalina Cabral showing Sen. Rodante Marcoleta requested P500 million in allocables for infrastructure projects.
"Based on requests for allocables, the late Usec Cabral allocated P500 million in projects to Sen. Marcoleta. The document is not among those in the possession of the Ombudsman so we will furnish a copy to them," he said.
When asked at the Kapihan sa Senado media forum if Marcoleta would be recommended for investigation, Lacson said, "Not at this time. If there are ghost projects attributed to him."
He said the committee had sought to remove allocables and "leadership funds" as they paved the way for corruption.
Asked if the Blue Ribbon panel will hold another hearing before the Senate adjourns sine die on June 6, he said there is a "big possibility."
"We're consolidating the documents to make sure the next hearing covers issues not covered by the previous hearings. Allocables could be one issue, especially if we find allocable-funded projects that are substandard or ghost," he said.
Lacson reminded colleagues - including those linked to the flood control mess - of their "shared responsibility" to sign the partial committee report so it can be discussed on the floor. He added the Blue Ribbon partial report in plenary may be their platform to defend themselves.
