Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

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<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width: 960px;"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1759719726456cropped-viber_image_2025-09-18_09-18-59.jpg" style="width: 960px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align: left;">Sen. Panfilo &quot;Ping&quot; Lacson. Photo from Lacson&#39;s Office</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA &mdash; The looming departure of Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo &quot;Ping&quot; Lacson from the panel investigating the corruption of flood relief funds is a sign of an &quot;unstable&quot; Senate, a former lawmaker said Monday.</p><p>On Sunday, Lacson announced that he would resign as chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee after his colleagues expressed &quot;disappointment&quot; regarding his handling of the inquiry into flood control projects.</p><p>For former Senate President Franklin Drilon, the developments in the Senate signalled instability of politics and leadership in the upper chamber.</p><p>He told ANC that Lacson quitting his position as chairman of the powerful panel was a bid to &quot;appease his majority colleagues&quot; so the presidency of Sen. Vicente &quot;Tito&quot; Sotto III could be &quot;preserved.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/5/lacson-stepping-aside-as-blue-ribbon-committee-chair-1524">Lacson stepping aside as Blue Ribbon Committee chair</a></div><p>Earlier this week, Sen. JV Ejercito, a member of the Senate majority, said that he and four other senators had considered leaving the bloc over how the flood control hearings had been conducted.</p><p>But Lacson said that he had handled the hearings well and that he believed that there were individuals &quot;trying to disrupt the hearings.&quot;</p><p>Drilon noted that Lacson&#39;s accusation that <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/28/lacson-almost-all-senators-had-p100-b-insertions-in-2025-budget-1822">almost all senators</a> had budget insertions was &quot;the most immediate reason why there was dissatisfaction.&quot;</p><p>The former Senate President said he &quot;would like to see the present leadership continue, but if not, that&#39;s a decision of the collective judgment of the senators.&quot;</p><p>Sotto on Monday maintained confidence that he <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/6/sotto-says-very-confident-of-majority-support-amid-fresh-coup-rumors-0905">retains the support of the majority bloc</a> amid rumors of another leadership change in the Senate.</p><div><strong>&mdash;Rowegie Abanto, with reports from RG Cruz and Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News</strong></div><div><br></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><br></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/traQJ3XxX7k?&wmode=opaque&rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kEk00d0GNyI?&wmode=opaque&rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br></div>

<p>For former Senate President Franklin Drilon, the developments in the Senate signalled instability of politics and leadership in the upper chamber.</p>

For former Senate President Franklin Drilon, the developments in the Senate signalled instability of politics and leadership in the upper chamber.

Lacson's Blue Ribbon exit a sign of 'unstable' Senate, says Drilon

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Lacson's Blue Ribbon exit a sign of 'unstable' Senate, says Drilon

ABS-CBN News

Published October 06, 2025 11:03 AM PHT

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Franklin Drilon

Ping Lacson

Tito Sotto

Senate

Senate Leadership

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