Lacson Eyes Cleansing of Blue Ribbon Committee

Newly installed Senate Blue Ribbon committee chairman Panfilo Lacson will launch an "internal cleansing" of the investigative panel following claims that a staff member delivered bribes in flood control projects.

- Neil Jayson Servallos, Delon Porcalla, Jose Rodel Clapano, Marc Jayson Cayabyab

Divina Gracia Ramos, accused of delivering flood control kickbacks, has been removed from the Blue Ribbon panel and transferred, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said yesterday.

"A Blue Ribbon staff member identified by Sen. Jinggoy Estrada as Beng Ramos was linked to a supposed delivery of obligation by WJ Construction, which was awarded a project by then Bulacan 1st district engineer Henry Alcantara," Lacson posted on X.

“Since I am not sure if there is only one Beng Ramos in the Blue Ribbon committee, which I was just elected by my peers to chair, just like (Public Works Secretary) Vince Dizon, maybe I also need to do a simultaneous internal cleansing while buckling down to work,” he added.

Former Bulacan assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez earlier accused Estrada of receiving a 30-percent share of P355 million in infrastructure projects, citing screenshots of messages involving Ramos.

Lacson stressed that the Blue Ribbon committee, tasked with probing state officials’ misconduct, should be beyond reproach.