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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Noise does not convict': Lacson dares Imee to produce evidence vs Romualdez

'Noise does not convict': Lacson dares Imee to produce evidence vs Romualdez

Published Jan 14, 2026 04:32 pm

At A Glance

  • Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo "Ping" Lacson on Wednesday, Jan. 14, dared Senator Imee Marcos to produce evidence that will directly link her cousin, former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, to the anomalous flood control scandal.
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo "Ping" Lacson on Wednesday, Jan. 14, dared Senator Imee Marcos to produce evidence that will directly link her cousin, former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, to the anomalous flood control scandal.
Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez (Facebook)
Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez (Facebook)
During the Kapihan Sa Senado media briefing, Lacson said that he's prepared to give Marcos one hour to present everything she knows.
"Kung meron si Senator Imee na evidence siya mapapakita, most welcome siya mag-attend. Huwag niyang kaming siraan na pinagbabawalan na i-implicate si former Speaker Romualdez (If Senator Imee has evidence she can present, she is most welcome to attend. She should not malign us by saying that we are being barred from implicating former Speaker Romualdez)," Lacson said.
"Kaya sa Lunes, kung meron siya pinanghawakan, pumunta siya. Kung gusto niya, bibigyan ko siya ng isang oras para ilahad lahat yung kanyang ebidensya kung meron (So on Monday, if she has anything to back up her claims, she should come. If she wants, I will give her one hour to present all of her evidence—if there is any)," he added.
Marcos has earlier stated that she has given up on the flood control investigation since the removal of Senator Rodante Marcoleta as the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman, alleging that investigators were barred from pursuing higher-level officials and contractors involved in the projects.
Lacson said that Marcos doesn't even attend the hearings for her to make such accusations.
According to Lacson, Marcos's statements add confusion, and it doesn’t help since, first of all, there really is no restraint or prohibition being imposed, particularly by the chairperson or any member of the committee who attends the hearing.
He said that it’s really an insult to the integrity of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee—to all of them, for that matter, even to herself, because she is a member of the Blue Ribbon panel as well.
"This is what I'm advising Senator Imee Marcos. Noise does not convict neither does it indict even who may be perceived as the most guilty in the FCP or Flood Control Project saga. Only evidence does," he said.
"Kaya kung meron siyang may ambag na ebidensya para maadiin ang kanyang pinsan, sumali siya sa pagdinig. Walang pipigil sa kanya at walang nagbabawal sa sasabihin niya o gagawin niya (So if she has any evidence to contribute to strengthen the case against her cousin, she should join the hearing. No one will stop her, and nothing she says or does will be prohibited)," he added.
In the panel's upcoming hearing on Monday, Lacson is set to clarify persistent reports that Romualdez had purchased a house and lot in a posh subdivision in Makati City using the Discayas as front in the said sale.
"If verified to be true, this could possibly establish a direct connection between the former Speaker and the Discayas," he said.
"Kung siya yung front, siya yung lumalabas na bumili, ganun na lang kalaki ang tiwala kung totoo ha, ni former speaker kay Discaya (If they were the front, if they was the ones who appeared as the buyer, that alone shows how great the trust was, if that’s true, of the former Speaker in Discaya)," he added.

Related Tags

Martin Romualdez Imee Marcos Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo \"Ping\" Lacson Senate Blue Ribbon Committee
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