Senate Blue Ribbon to invite Martin, Zaldy

With several senators complaining of selective investigation, the Senate Blue Ribbon committee will invite former speaker Martin Romualdez and resigned Ako Bicol party-list congressman Zaldy Co to the probe on the flood control mess, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson said yesterday.

- NEIL JAYSON SERVALLOS

Since Co is now a civilian, he can be subpoenaed if he ignores the invitation, and ordered arrested for contempt if he snubs the subpoena without a valid justification, Lacson said.

Romualdez will be invited through a letter addressed to Speaker Faustino Dy III, in keeping with inter-parliamentary courtesy.

Lacson, who chairs the Blue Ribbon, said the invitation would be sent to Co’s address. Lacson did not say when the next hearing would be held.

Co has claimed to be abroad for medical treatment. He is believed to be in Europe.

The last time the Senate exercised such authority was in the case of dismissed mayor Alice Guo of Bamban, Tarlac, who fled abroad but was ordered arrested by the chamber and later brought back to the country from Indonesia.

Lacson said the Blue Ribbon would continue holding hearings “for as long as there are new major developments that it needs to look into.” He promised to pursue the inquiry with impartiality.

“If we stop the probe now, we may reinforce the perception, rightly or wrongly, that we are covering up for someone.

No. I said it clearly, we will go where the evidence leads us," Lacson said.

"Nobody is being targeted.

Neither will anyone be shielded or spared. No matter how unpopular, even painful for me to hear the names of my colleagues being implicated by resource persons, I will not be deterred," he added.