By Jel Santos
Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chairperson Senator Erwin Tulfo on Friday, Aug. 7, said the panel will leave all flood control-related cases to the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB).
Earlier, Tulfo and Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian had a closed-door coordination meeting with Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla at the OMB Central Office in Quezon City.
“Pero initially, napag-usapan namin ni Ombudsman na everything that has to do with flood control, sila na maghahawak kasi ang dami na ring ongoing,” Tulfo told reporters covering the OMB.
“Tumatakbo na yung mga na-submit ng ICI sa kanila, yung mga congressmen, yung mga cong-tractors, at tsaka contractors, other government officials, mga kasamahan namin sa Senate and ranking officials, gumugulong na,” he added.
He noted that Remulla had requested to handle all cases related to the flood control controversy.
The Blue Ribbon Committee, according to Tulfo, does not want to interfere with the ongoing cases as doing so could derail them.
“So, kung baka pakialaman pa namin, mapurnada pa, and we don’t want to do that,” he said.
“So what he was saying, ‘Kami nang bahala,’ maybe you can start looking for, ika nga, other mga cases pag may mga dinala sa amin sa Senate,” he added.
The senator said the Blue Ribbon Committee initially had turned over some documents to the OMB, which he said contributed to the case involving former House Speaker Martin Romualdez moving forward.
“Initially, nagbigay na ng, ika nga, docs yung BRC dito sa Ombudsman. Kaya nga, ‘yun nga, gumulong na ‘yung kaso ni former Speaker at yung mga statements mula sa Blue Ribbon hearing,” said Tulfo.
Asked whether all Blue Ribbon Committee documents would be turned over to the Ombudsman, he said the matter would first have to be discussed with the panel’s majority and minority members and would require their approval.
“Well, we’ll just have to turn it over. But we’ll have to, ika nga, we’ll have to meet with the entire membership para pag-usapan namin yan. Both the majority and minority members of the Blue Ribbon,” he stated.
In aid of legislation
Tulfo stressed that the Blue Ribbon Committee’s role is primarily legislative and that its hearings are conducted for fact-finding in aid of legislation, not for prosecution.
“Ang problema po kasi, ang Blue Ribbon is for legislation. Hindi namin, we’re not there. We’re not investigating to prosecute or, ika nga, it’s just fact-finding for legislation,” he said.
The senator noted that the committee’s flood control hearings have already resulted in the filing of several measures in the Senate.
“Yung result po, marami na pong na-file na mga Senate bills because of that flood control hearing ng Blue Ribbon. Marami na po nagawa. Marami po, 6 yata, 6 or 7 Senate bills na ngayon,” he said.
He said the purpose of the Blue Ribbon Committee is to identify deficiencies in existing laws and determine whether new legislation or stronger measures are needed to prevent similar corruption.
“Saan nagkulang yung batas? What do we have to do? Do we have to create another law para ma-prevent itong corruption na ito? Or do we have to tighten?” said Tulfo.
“Yan naman po talaga ang purpose ng Blue Ribbon. Para makita po kung saan yung deficiency ng law na iyon. Para, ika nga, hindi na maulit,” he went on.
