Tulfo: Flood control probe to resume after Sona

National

SENATOR Erwin Tulfo said the Blue Ribbon Committee will resume its investigation into alleged anomalies in flood control projects once the panel is formally reconstituted after Congress opens its new session on July 27.

Tulfo said the committee cannot begin hearings until its membership is completed during its organizational meeting on the day of the State of the Nation Address (Sona).

“On the morning of July 27, which is the day of the SONA, we will formally organize the Blue Ribbon Committee. We cannot conduct hearings yet because the committee membership has to be finalized first,” he said in an interview over dzBB per a report by Philstar.

He said the committee would pursue its inquiry into the alleged flood control scam but would prioritize new evidence and leads.

He added: “We will continue the investigation, but if the names that come up are the same people already charged by the Ombudsman based on the Blue Ribbon Committee’s first report, should we just repeat the process? There should be new names.”

New rules will be implemented once it is officially organized, including tighter verification of affidavits and a ban on surprise witnesses, according to Tulfo.

The senator also reiterated his push for the proposed Masterplan for Infrastructure and National Development Act, saying a long-term infrastructure blueprint would help curb corruption by keeping politics out of project selection.

“The flood control scam has become a blessing in disguise because it exposed why flooding and road problems persist. Funds are being pocketed,” he said.

The measure seeks to establish a whole-of-government approach to infrastructure planning by integrating national and local projects under a unified framework aligned with regional and sectoral development plans.(Mary Elaine Virtucio, UP Cebu COMM Intern)