SENATE President Pro Tempore Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson resigned as Chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee which is in the thick of investigating the anomalous multi-billion flood control projects.
Meanwhile, Senate President Vicente Sotto III denied rumors of another Senate coup, saying the ‘Senate is stable.’
According to Sotto, he is confident of the support of the majority and as such, there is no need for any loyalty check to be done, stressing that the rumors are just part of intrigues.
Sotto also said he continues to support Lacson whom he said, is frustrated, not stressed: “Pag nag-hearing siya may umaangal. Pag hindi nag-hearing, may umaangal. Ano ba talaga?”
In his resignation letter, Lacson said: “All committee chairpersons, whether in the Senate or in the House, we serve at the pleasure of our peers, particularly the members of our majority bloc.”
Lacson lamented that some of his own colleagues in the Senate have made pronouncements of disappointment over the Senate investigation.
“When my peers already lack faith in me, especially when a majority of them are unhappy over how the Blue Ribbon is being handled, maybe stepping down is an option,” his letter added, in part.
Lacson added: “All I can say is – I can handle all the pressure. It’s frustration that’s hard to bear… Rest assured, there’s no wavering in my advocacy against the corrupt and rotten system, particularly the misuse and abuse of public funds.
On the rumors of another Senate coup to replace Sotto with Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, Lacson described such as “the same old rehashed psy war tactic all over again intended to confuse and sow intrigue among the members of the majority,” adding that the rumor had nothing to do with his decision to step down as chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon.
