Marilyn Cahatol

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Senate Blue Ribbon Committee <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/8/erwin-tulfo-among-possible-lacson-successors-as-blue-ribbon-chair-sotto-1029">acting chairperson</a> Sen. Erwin Tulfo on Thursday said the panel would invite former House speaker Martin Romualdez and former Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co in its flood control hearings.</p><p>“I agree with former chairman Sen. Ping Lacson na sabi niya before he stepped down na the Blue Ribbon will be inviting the former speaker of the House and then si former Cong. Zaldy Co,” Tulfo told ANC’s Dateline.</p><p>He said he would instruct the Blue Ribbon secretariat in a few days to send the invitation to Romualdez, Co, and other personalities. </p><p>Orly Guteza, who said he was a former security consultant for Co, claimed that he delivered suitcases supposedly containing money to the lawmaker and Romualdez. </p><p>Romualdez said the allegations were <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/25/romualdez-denies-receiving-suitcases-of-money-from-co-s-ex-security-consultant-1832">&quot;an outright and complete fabrication&quot;</a>, given that the residence where the supposed money was delivered had been under renovation since January 2024. </p><p>At least two former aides of Co also denied Guteza&#x27;s allegations. </p><p>Co, the former chairperson of the powerful House Committee on Appropriations, added that he did not deliberately allow last-minute insertions in the 2025 budget and rejected allegations that family indulged in extravagant displays of wealth.  </p><p>Tulfo said the Blue Ribbon’s investigation would focus on crafting legislation to prevent budget insertions and to punish lawmakers and government officials involved with infrastructure anomalies. </p><p>He said the panel would refer its other findings to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure.   </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/2/ici-says-to-resend-hearing-invites-for-romualdez-co-2039">ICI says to &#x27;resend&#x27; hearing invites for Romualdez, Co</a></div><p>Tulfo, who served as ACT-CIS Party-list representative from 2023 to 2025, said he was “blinded” from the schemes of the House of Representatives’ “small committee” that had been tagged  the in insertions in the previous years.</p><p>“I’m not even a member of the appropriations committee so wala talaga, blinded ako,” he said.</p><div> </div><div><strong>‘PIA CAYETANO WILLING TO TAKE THE JOB’</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Tulfo added that Sen. Pia Cayetano was willing to be the permanent Blue Ribbon chair. </p><p>Tulgo said he and Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III agreed that he would only serve as an acting chairperson while a permanent panel leader yet to be named. </p><p>“There are other better lawmakers, mga mas magagaling, mga senior senators diyan. So far lima ang binanggit niya, lima ang tumanggi. Then meron pa so Sen. Pia Cayetano said she is willing take the job,” he said. </p><p>Sotto previously said that Senators <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/7/sotto-names-5-potential-replacements-of-lacson-as-blue-ribbon-chair-1254">JV Ejercito, Raffy Tulfo, Kiko Pangilinan, Pia Cayetano, and Risa Hontiveros</a> were being eyed as the next chair, but all refused the post to focus on their leadership of other committees. </p><p>Sotto said Tulfo was automatically <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/8/erwin-tulfo-among-possible-lacson-successors-as-blue-ribbon-chair-sotto-1029">designated </a>as the acting chair as he is the panel&#x27;s vice chair.</p><p>Former Blue Ribbon Committee chair Ping Lacson <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/6/sotto-receives-lacson-s-blue-ribbon-resignation-letter-1803">resigned </a>from the post last Monday after some senators expressed “disappointment” with how he handled the investigation on anomalous flood control projects. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/7/lacson-says-resignation-as-senate-blue-ribbon-chair-is-final-1722">Lacson says resignation as Senate blue ribbon chair is ‘final’</a></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO: </strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AGpxbHgryW0?si=nX0kBWT-oBjPss1y" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p> Senate Blue Ribbon Committee <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/8/erwin-tulfo-among-possible-lacson-successors-as-blue-ribbon-chair-sotto-1029">acting chairperson</a> Sen. Erwin Tulfo on Thursday said the panel would invite former House speaker Martin Romualdez and former Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co in its flood control hearings.</p>

Senate Blue Ribbon Committee acting chairperson Sen. Erwin Tulfo on Thursday said the panel would invite former House speaker Martin Romualdez and former Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co in its flood control hearings.

Tulfo-led Blue Ribbon to invite Romualdez, Co in flood control probe

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Tulfo-led Blue Ribbon to invite Romualdez, Co in flood control probe

Marilyn Cahatol,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 09, 2025 02:27 PM PHT

|

Updated Oct 09, 2025 03:45 PM PHT

Read More:

Erwin Tulfo

Martin Romualdez

Zaldy Co

Flood control

Senate

House of Representatives

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