Marilyn Cahatol

Article (news)

Adrian Ayalin

ABS-CBN News

<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/17865212533461786521251284.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The Supreme Court building in Padre Faura, Manila on Aug. 24, 2022.<em> George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Supreme Court en banc on Wednesday dismissed the petition filed by a group of lawyers who sought the release of the draft partial committee report of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on alleged irregularities in flood control projects.</p><p>The high court noted that the petition for mandamus and certiorari was filed by Atty. Eldrige Marvin Aceron and other lawyers after a draft partial committee report was leaked to several media outlets last February.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/2/sc-urged-direct-senate-to-release-blue-ribbon-report-on-flood-control-mess-1152">SC urged: Direct Senate to release Blue Ribbon report tagging senators in flood control mess</a></div><p>The SC stated that mandamus may only be used to compel a public official or body to perform a ministerial duty clearly required by law that involves no discretion.</p><p>The SC also said that a draft report is a preliminary document and only becomes part of the official Senate record once it is finalized, approved by the Committee and submitted to the Senate plenary following the Senate’s internal rules.</p><p>“Since no law requires the Committee to release an unfinished draft report, mandamus cannot be used to compel its disclosure,” the SC said.</p><p>The SC also rejected the claim of the petitioners that their constitutional right to information was violated by the Committee’s refusal to release the draft report.</p><p>The SC stressed that the right to information is not absolute and is subject to recognized limitations, including the deliberative process privilege.</p><p>“This privilege protects internal discussions while a decision is still being made, allowing officials to freely exchange views without the risk that preliminary or tentative positions will be mistaken for final decisions,” the SC said.</p><p>The court also noted that in line with the doctrine of separation of powers in government, the judiciary generally cannot interfere with matters that fall within the legislature’s discretion, as long as these are exercised within constitutional limits.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/11/ejercito-backs-resumption-of-select-flood-control-projects-vows-end-to-bicam-insertions-1058">Ejercito backs resumption of select flood-control projects, vows end to bicam insertions</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="960" height="540" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Pfh-UDoJ9Ws?si=PHvnx22f3Ltvvi_M" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>The Supreme Court en banc on Wednesday dismissed the petition filed by a group of lawyers who sought the release of the draft partial committee report of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on alleged irregularities in flood control projects.</p>

The Supreme Court en banc on Wednesday dismissed the petition filed by a group of lawyers who sought the release of the draft partial committee report of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on alleged irregularities in flood control projects.

SC dismisses petition to compel release of Senate’s partial flood control report

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SC dismisses petition to compel release of Senate’s partial flood control report

Adrian Ayalin,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 12, 2026 04:19 PM PHT

Read More:

flood control

Supreme Court

Senate Blue Ribbon Committee

Philippine Senate

flood control scandal

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