By Lane Afable, News Editor
Support is building for the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s partial committee report on the flood control mess, with at least two more senators signing, and others signaling willingness to do so, Senate President Pro Tempore and Blue Ribbon Chairman Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson bared.
Lacson said that Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Blue Ribbon vice chairman Erwin Tulfo signed the partial report, while “at least two others” hinted they would do the same.
“As of yesterday, two other colleagues also signed – Senate President Sotto as ex-officio and Sen. Erwin Tulfo, BRC Vice Chairman. At least two others have indicated their willingness to sign,” he said.
“One of the reasons why the other majority members have not signed or at least reluctant to do so is that they were being ‘requested’ by some of their former majority bloc colleagues,” he added.
Lacson said he would not plead with fellow Blue Ribbon members to sign the partial report out of respect for their individual decisions, but noted that Sotto offered to help.
“I told SP Sotto earlier that I won’t plead with our fellow BRC members to affix their signatures on the partial committee report because I respect their individual decisions, whatever reasons they have in refusing to sign. Hence, SP Sotto promised to help in that regard,” he said.
With at least six signatures so far, the partial report needs at least three more for it to be filed and reported out on the floor where it can be debated upon, amended and adopted.
On Wednesday, Lacson said he suspended further hearings of the committee on the flood control mess until he reports out and sponsors the partial committee report in plenary.
He said continuing hearings without reaching a logical conclusion in the form of a committee report that senators can debate, amend and adopt on the Senate floor would be pointless and contrary to Senate rules.
