Tulfo-led Senate blue ribbon panel holds flood control probe

MANILA, Philippines – The Senate blue ribbon committee resumes its investigation into alleged corruption in multi-million-peso flood control projects on Monday, June 8, this time under the leadership of its new chairman, Senator Erwin Tulfo.

This comes a few days after the bloc led by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano staged what it deemed as a “blue ribbon committee” hearing.

Senator Pia Cayetano has maintained that she remains the committee’s chairperson despite the leadership shakeup that removed her from the post and unseated her brother as Senate president.

Questions have been raised about the legitimacy of the Cayetano-led proceeding, as the blue ribbon committee secretariat was not present during the hearing.

The June 4 “hearing” also became a platform for 18 alleged former security aides of former congressman Zaldy Co to level corruption allegations against members of the Marcos family and individuals critical of the Duterte family. Their claims, however, had inconsistencies and were unsupported by evidence and were refuted or debunked by the subjects of their allegations.

The same alleged former security aides were invited to attend the Tulfo-led hearing, along with some of the individuals they accused. The alleged security aides also claimed that the new blue ribbon chairperson is among those who received kickbacks from government projects, which Tulfo denied.

Former House speaker Martin Romualdez, the president’s cousin, was also invited.

Watch the livestream here at 9 am.– Rappler.com