From the start, the parting seemed inevitable.
As Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson took the helm of the Blue Ribbon committee, people thought it was only a matter of time before the panel’s probe on flood control and budgeting anomalies would lead to the doorsteps of the Senate itself.
Yesterday, amid reported grumblings from colleagues about the direction taken by the Blue Ribbon probe, and accusations that he was shielding congressmen led by resigned speaker Martin Romualdez and Zaldy Co from blame, Lacson announced his resignation from the committee.
His resignation comes on the heels of Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong quitting the Independent Commission for Infrastructure. Magalong resigned after being told that he was merely an adviser and not an investigator of the ICI in the flood control mess, and amid insinuations that he and the Baguio government had dealings with controversial contractors Curlee and Sarah Discaya.
Considering the role of lawmakers in the budget process, and their possible involvement in crooked deals with contractors and public works officials, Congress can in fact allow the ICI to take over the flood control probe.
But with the ICI refusing to open even portions of its hearings to the public, the Blue Ribbon sessions led by Lacson have helped enlighten the nation about the modes and extent of the thievery that has become institutionalized in government.
The flood control mess is also not the only issue covered by the oversight functions of the Blue Ribbon. Whoever replaces Lacson must be deemed credible, impartial and competent in conducting a congressional probe.
Lacson has vowed to continue his crusade against corruption. He can continue delivering privilege speeches backed by efficient investigation, similar to the bombshell that he dropped on substandard and ghost flood control projects in Bulacan and Oriental Mindoro.
The Department of Justice and the Office of the Ombudsman can also pick up where the Blue Ribbon left off. Nothing stops the ombudsman and the DOJ, which has supervision over the national prosecution service and the National Bureau of Investigation, from initiating probes into criminal activities involving trillions of pesos in public funds. This is part of their mandate, which they can carry out even without waiting for recommendations from the ICI.
What people want is transparency in uncovering the corruption, speedy and impartial prosecution, swift punishment of crooks, and reforms to prevent their repeat.
Even outside the Blue Ribbon, Lacson can still contribute to this effort. His short-lived stint in the Blue Ribbon shows what happens when someone disrupts business as usual in the old boys’ club at the Senate.