Ping Lacson Says Senate To Invite Martin Romualdez, Zaldy Co to Flood Probe

Sen. Ping Lacson Speaks on Senate Invitations to Martin Romualdez, Zaldy Co

PING LACSON – The Senate President Pro Tempore said the Senate will invite former House Speaker Martin Romualdez and Zaldy Co.

The flood control mess in the Philippines left countless Filipinos disappointed with the supposed multi-billion corruption. Unfortunately, several officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Senate, and the House of Representatives were linked to the issue. The Senate opened its own investigation on the issue.

The Senate flood probe is led by the Blue Ribbon Committee which is now chaired by Senator Ping Lacson. The upper chamber had a shakeup after some senators were accused of allegedly receiving kickback from the flood control projects.

After he admitted that he received a P30-million campaign donation from a flood control contractor flagged by Pres. Bongbong Marcos, Sen. Chiz Escudero is also accused of allegedly receiving a P160-million kickback from flood control projects by former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo.

Aside from Escudero, senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva were also linked to the flood control issue by former DPWH engineer Brice Hernandez. In his response to the testimony that linked him to the flood control scam, Escudero claimed that it is allegedly unbelievable that Leyte Cong. Martin Romualdez and Zaldy Co have no hands in the issue.

Presidential cousin and Leyte Cong. Martin Romualdez resigned from being the House speaker amid the flood control corruption accusations against him. According to him, he wants the Independent Commission for Infrastructure or ICI to be able to fully exercise their mandate to investigate.

However, in the case of Zaldy Co, he was already out of the country when the accusations broke out. He resigned from being the representative of the Ako Bicol Partylist amid the issue and has yet to return to the country.

Amid the ongoing investigation on the flood control mess in the country, Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chairman Ping Lacson confirmed that Leyte Cong. Martin Romualdez and Zaldy Co will be invited to the Senate flood probe. Based on a report on PhilStar, Lacson stressed that several senators are complaining about the supposed “selective investigation”.

The Senate President Pro Tempore stressed that since Zaldy Co has resigned from being a government official, he can now be subpoenaed by the upper chamber. If he would ditch the invitation without a valid reason, an arrest warrant for contempt may be issued against him.

With regards to the invitation for Leyte Cong. Martin Romualdez, based on the report, Sen. Ping Lacson said the invitation for him to the Senate flood probe will be addressed to House Speaker Bojie Dy in keeping with inter-parliamentary courtesy.

Amid the flood control mess, Sen. Chiz Escudero slammed former House Speaker Martin Romualdez in a Senate privilege speech accusing the Leyte Congressman of allegedly being the one behind the supposed “script and zarzuela”.