Sen. Rodante Marcoleta questioned the decision of Senate President Pro Tempore Ping Lacson not to summon several individuals during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on the flood control controversy.
Marcoleta said he was expecting that certain individuals would be called to testify during the hearing. Among them were 67 contractors that Lacson mentioned in a press release last year.
The senator also raised concerns about the absence of 17 congressmen who were named in the sworn statement of the Discaya couple.
Marcoleta said he could not understand why these individuals were not asked to appear before the Senate panel despite their alleged connection to the issue being investigated.
Aside from this, Marcoleta criticized what he described as the apparent treatment of testimonies from former Department of Public Works and Highways officials as “gospel truth.”
The testimonies came from former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, former Bulacan 1st District Engineer Henry Alcantara, and former Assistant District Engineer Brice Hernandez.
Marcoleta also questioned Lacson’s decision not to call former House Speaker Martin Romualdez to the hearing.
According to Lacson, the committee did not summon Romualdez because of the absence of what he described as solid evidence.
Marcoleta expressed concern about the decision, saying it appeared inconsistent with the testimonies already presented during the hearing.
He added that based on the developments he observed, the situation seemed to show what he described as a “mumbo-jumbo” pattern.
Marcoleta said the pattern involved immediately questioning the credibility of individuals who intended to testify against Romualdez.
In response to the senator’s criticisms, Lacson said he would address Marcoleta’s concerns point by point.
Lacson said he would issue his response later in the day.
