Ping resets presentation of flood report

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson has rescheduled his privilege speech that would have detailed the Blue Ribbon committee’s progress report on the flood control scandal.

Lacson’s speech was slated as the first privilege speech on the agenda yesterday. There was no explanation for the cancellation.

Former Ilocos Sur governor Luis “Chavit” Singson, meanwhile, questioned the deferment of a Senate inquiry into the alleged “trillion-peso” flood control scandal, raising fresh allegations against top government officials and institutions.

At a press briefing, Singson said he may no longer pursue his Senate testimony and instead bring his allegations directly to the public. “I may no longer go to the Senate. I will just bring this to the people,” he said.

Singson said the postponement of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee hearing due to the absence of a formal affidavit prevented him from presenting key evidence.

He said he went to the Senate prepared to testify on March 16 and submitted an affidavit but received notice of the cancellation on the morning of the scheduled hearing, which was supposed to be on April 14.

“I went there ready to testify, then at 9 a.m. we received a letter saying the hearing was canceled because no affidavit was submitted,” Singson said.

He claimed the delay was “being used as a diversion” to avoid scrutiny over alleged anomalies in flood control projects.

“Understand this well, what they are doing is all diversion. They are just confusing all of us,” he said.

Singson alleged that former House speaker Martin Romualdez and President Marcos were involved in the supposed irregularities, claiming the executive branch played a central role. “The executive is involved. The executive is the mastermind,” he said.

He also questioned the silence of key institutions, including the Office of the Ombudsman and the Department of Justice.

“Why are the Ombudsman, DOJ and the President not answering? That means there was already an agreement,” he said.

Singson cited what he claimed were records from the Department of Public Works and Highways showing questionable flood control projects, including alleged “ghost” or substandard works in Ilocos Norte, the President’s hometown.

He urged the public to scrutinize the issue, warning of the scale of the alleged corruption.

“We are being fooled,” he said. — Neil Jayson Servallos