Senate President Pro Tempore and Blue Ribbon Committee chairman Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said all further hearings on the flood control mess are suspended until all panel’s partial report is reported out and sponsored in plenary.

Lacson said continuing hearings without reaching a logical conclusion in the form of a committee report that senators can debate, amend and adopt on the Senate floor would be pointless and contrary to Senate rules.

He also reminded members of the Blue Ribbon Committee, most especially those from the minority bloc, of their duty including signing the report so it can be reported out in plenary. 

“I do not expect any member of the minority to sign. They can offer all kinds of reasons all they want, wise or otherwise, not to fulfill their duties as members. It’s on them, not on the chairman,” Lacson said.

“That said, I am suspending all hearings until I have reported out to  sponsor in plenary the partial committee report at the very least,” he added.

Lacson pointed out that under the Senate’s rules, all inquiries in aid of legislation should lead to a committee report containing recommended legislative actions.

As of Wednesday, Lacson said the partial committee report still needs at least five more signatures so it can be reported out on the Senate floor.

Sen. Imee Marcos, a vocal critic of her brother, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. had said she would not sign the blue ribbon partial report until there is a “full investigation.”

“Our Senate rules are clear as they are basic. Thus, all inquiries in aid of legislation should end up in recommended legislative actions via a committee report, except the Blue Ribbon Committee which can also investigate and recommend the filing of criminal cases for malfeasance, misfeasance or nonfeasance,” Lacson said.

At the same time, Lacson criticized some minority members of the committee for pushing to invite personalities linked to the issue, such as former Undersecretary Trygve Olaivar, but failing to question him when he appeared before the panel.

“Why did they not ask them what they knew when they appeared? They had the opportunity to ask as members of the committee,” Lacson said in Filipino in an interview on DZBB Tuesday.

“If we call for hearing after hearing, without reaching the logical conclusion of having a committee report that need to be debated upon, amended and adopted on the floor, our efforts will end up open-ended,” the senator explained.