Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, former Ako-Bicol party-list representative Zaldy Co, and 17 other congressmen linked to the flood control project scandal did not attend the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on Friday, November 14.
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, who chairs the panel, opened the session by noting the absence of all House members invited to respond to allegations raised in previous hearings.
Lacson said the lawmakers—implicated by the Discaya spouses, as well as Romualdez and Rep. Eric Yap, who were named by witness Orly Guteza—were formally invited via a November 12 letter addressed to House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy. None appeared.
According to Lacson, Dy relayed that the members declined to attend “to avoid any possible prejudice to the ongoing investigation and eventual findings of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI),” adding that they had already submitted to the ICI’s jurisdiction.
Co, who received a separate invitation, was also absent. His counsel, Atty. Ruy Alberto Rondain, informed the committee that Co remained overseas for medical reasons.
Rondain added that any testimony Co might give before the Senate “will, at best, pre-empt any defense he may set up.”
Lacson rejected the lawyer’s reasoning, emphasizing that the invitation was addressed to Co personally—not to his counsel.
He also cited Article I, Section 2 of the Blue Ribbon Committee Rules: “The filing or pendency of any prosecution or criminal action shall not stop or abate any inquiry to carry out a legislative purpose.”
Several other invited individuals also sent excuse letters. Jonathan Quirante of Quirante Construction said he needed to attend to company operations and project sites affected by Typhoon Tino and required more time to organize documents.
Eumir Villanueva of Topnotch Catalyst Builders cited a prior engagement.
Engineer Arjay Domasig said he had a scheduled appearance at the Department of Justice at 1 p.m.
Others invoked medical reasons for their absence, including DPWH–NCR Regional Director Gerard Opulencia, South Manila District Engineer Manny Bulusan, and Commissioner Mario Lipana.
Lacson said the committee also sought assistance from the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to verify the whereabouts of several individuals: Mark Baquiran Bunagan, Allan Colesio, John Paul Estrada, Orly Regala Guteza, and Mark Tecsay.
In its November 13 response, the BI reported no record of departure for Bunagan, Guteza, and Tecsay.
Colesio was confirmed to be in the country after a short trip abroad from October 18 to 24.
Estrada, identified as the aide of former congressman Co, was confirmed to have left for Hong Kong on September 2 and has not returned. (Dhel Nazario)
