Jamaine Punzalan

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SENATE PROBE- FLOOD CONTROL PROJECTS

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177017773743320260119-senate-probe-flood-control-lacson-JC9654.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Senator Panfilo Lacson during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on anomalous flood control projects in Pasay City on January 19, 2026. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News </span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA — Members of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee will discuss Wednesday the panel&#x27;s draft partial committee report on the flood control scandal, its chairman Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson said.</p><p>Lacson noted that many of the committee&#x27;s members preferred to discuss and understand the contents of the draft report before signing it.</p><p>&quot;Maybe due to the complexity and sensitivity involving the issues and personalities mentioned in the draft committee report, many members prefer to discuss and understand the contents of the report before they affix their signatures. Others may want to include their inputs,” he said. </p><p>Lacson noted that the document needed at least 11 signatures to make it an official committee report to be deliberated in plenary. </p><p>&quot;As the chairman, I am open to hear the suggestions/recommendations from the BRC members as long as everything is aligned with the practical realities, especially those already undergoing preliminary investigations by the Department of Justice and Ombudsman which the partial committee report merely restated as part of its recommendations,&quot; he added.</p><p>Without the required signatories, Lacson pointed out that &quot;there can be no valid partial committee report to talk about.&quot;</p><p>Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Tuesday <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/3/sotto-denounces-leak-of-draft-of-blue-ribbon-committee-report-on-flood-control-scandal-2348">denounced the circulation of a draft report </a>of the Blue Ribbon Committee. </p><p>Among others, the draft recommended charges against Senators Jinggoy Estrada, Joel Villanueva and Francis Escudero, former Senator Bong Revilla, former Appropriations Committee Chair Zaldy Co and former Congresswoman Mitch Cajayon Uy and former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/9/ex-dpwh-engineer-tags-estrada-villanueva-in-alleged-flood-control-anomalies-1055">Ex-DPWH engineer tags Estrada, Villanueva in flood control anomalies; senators deny allegations</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/12/escudero-denies-hand-in-flood-control-projects-secured-by-campaign-donor-1516">Escudero denies hand in flood control projects secured by campaign donor</a></div><p>The 500-page draft also recommended further investigation against former and incumbent officials, including former Speaker Martin Romualdez, former Senator Grace Poe, former Senator Nancy Binay, former Senator Sonny Angara, Senator Mark Villar, and Representatives Rida Robes, Roman Romulo, Marvin Rillo, Marivic Pilar, Jojo Pilar, Eleandro Madrona, Marcelino Teodoro, Arjo Atayde, and Arnan Panaligan.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/18/a-quick-refresher-on-the-flood-control-mess-as-senate-resumes-probe-2230">A quick refresher on the flood-control mess as Senate resumes probe</a></div><p>Sotto acknowledged receiving a letter from Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri and Senators Sherwin Gatchalian and JV Ejercito, withdrawing their signatures from the draft report.</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s not an official report. The official one will be discussed tomorrow pa. Mali &#x27;yung nag-leak na MRO (media relations officer),&quot; Sotto said of the committee report. </p><p>&quot;Kaya nag-withdraw &#x27;yung nag-sign, eh draft for discussion pa lang &#x27;yan. Masyadong hot &#x27;yung nag-leak,&quot; he added. &quot;Embarrassing.&quot; </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/19/-shut-the-f-up-lacson-silences-hijackers-of-flood-control-probe-1346">‘Shut the F up’: Lacson silences &#x27;hijackers&#x27; of flood control probe</a></div><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F887504700553507%2F&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="560" height="429" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>Ejercito confirmed Wednesday that he was withdrawing his signature from the draft report. </p><p>&quot;Draft pa naman nun. Nobody signs a draft. And also, may mga group messages kami na may mga addendum, may mga additional. So, gusto namin makita muna bago kami affix yung signature. Inaantay lang natin na makompleto,&quot; Ejercito told an interview. </p><p>&quot;Kasi hindi pa kumpleto yun eh. Kaya, nag-withdraw kami. Kasi alangan naman pumirma kami sa bagay na hindi pa kumpleto.&quot; </p><p>Ejercito declined to comment on the draft&#x27;s contents.</p><p>&quot;Hintayin na natin kasi hindi pa naman kumpleto eh yun yun eh  dahil sa text messages na wala pa, may addendum that&#x27;s the reason we withdrew,&quot; he said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/21/-minority-report-on-flood-control-hearings-signifies-disrespect-to-blue-ribbon-committee-lacson-1342">&#x27;Minority report&#x27; on flood control hearings signifies &#x27;disrespect&#x27; to Blue Ribbon Committee: Lacson</a></div><div><iframe width="1201" height="675" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DkpMDKztogc" title="Senators express concern over wrong coordinates of &#x27;ghost&#x27; flood control projects | ANC" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <iframe width="1201" height="675" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cOnFNUcxM9s" title="Lacson slams ‘minority report’ on flood control corruption scandal | ANC" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>Members of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee will discuss Wednesday the panel's draft partial committee report on the flood control scandal, its chairman Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson said.</p>

Members of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee will discuss Wednesday the panel's draft partial committee report on the flood control scandal, its chairman Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson said.

Lacson: Blue Ribbon members to discuss draft committee report

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Lacson: Blue Ribbon members to discuss draft committee report

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 04, 2026 12:11 PM PHT

Read More:

draft report

Blue Ribbon

Senate

corruption

flood control

baha

Ping Lacson

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