CBCP warns Senate vs use of politics to derail flood control probe

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines has warned public officials against using the Senate’s current leadership turmoil to weaken or redirect investigations into corruption in flood control projects, saying such a move would “heighten public suspicion of a cover-up.”

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In a statement on Monday, October 6, CBCP President Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David said the public is watching closely amid several unanswered questions into the alleged multibillion-peso anomalies in Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) projects despite weeks of hearings.

“After the revelations of massive anomalies in flood control projects, any move to change Senate leadership or redirect investigations now would only heighten public suspicion of a cover-up,” the CBCP statement read.

The CBCP also called on all public officials to uphold the integrity of the ongoing inquiries and allow the newly formed Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI) to “investigate fully and freely, without political interference from any branch of government.”

LACSON'S RESIGNATION

The CBCP statement comes after Sen. Panfilo "Ping" Lacson’s resignation as chair of the powerful Senate Blue Ribbon committee, which has been conducting an inquiry into irregularities in flood control allocations.

Lacson stepped down from his chairmanship, citing the “disappointment” of several colleagues over his handling of the hearings.