Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo "Ping" Lacson has vowed to present the panel's Chairman's Progress Report on the flood control scandal in a privilege speech when the Senate resumes regular sessions on May 4, 2026.

In a statement on Monday, April 27, Lacson said his privilege speech will pave the way for the resumption of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s hearings on the flood control mess, as the partial committee report has yet to secure the needed signatures for filing and sponsorship in plenary.

"I will present it via a privilege speech entitled 'The Chairman’s FCP Progress Report.' At least kung privilege speech, since ayaw magpirma ng ibang members, I don’t have to consult them (Other committee members do not seem keen on signing the partial report. If I present it via a privilege speech, I don’t have to consult them)," said Lacson, who also heads the blue ribbon panel.

Once delivered in plenary, the Chairman’s Progress Report—which includes the contents of the partial report—may be shared with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Office of the Ombudsman.

Meanwhile, he said the partial committee report still has six signatures as of Monday - three short of the nine needed for it to be filed and sponsored.

"I’ll be able to share the report and our recommendations with the Ombudsman since magiging public record na yan after I have presented it by way of a privilege speech. Sayang kasi - para mapakinabangan ang evidence kesa mapanis lang (I'll be able to share the report and recommendations with the Ombudsman since it would become a public record after I present it as a privilege speech. It would be a waste if the evidence in the progress report could not be used because it did not get enough signatures)," Lacson said.

Meanwhile, the senator corrected Sen. Rodante Marcoleta over his calls to invite former Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez to the panel's hearings on the flood control controversy.

He emphasized that the panel already invited the former House leader to its hearings twice, following the time-honored tradition of inter-parliamentary courtesy between it and the House of Representatives. However, Romualdez did not participate in the hearings.

"Mula pa nung unang nagbukas ang Philippine Congress under a bicameral system, umiiral na ang inter-parliamentary courtesy between the two chambers (Ever since the Philippine Congress opened under a bicameral system, there has been inter-parliamentary courtesy between the two chambers)," he said.

Lacson added this is the reason why the Blue Ribbon Committee coursed its invitations to congressmen to appear and testify before its committee hearings through the Office of the Speaker.

The only "exception" is when House members voluntarily appear before Senate hearings, as in the cases of Reps. Tobias Tiangco and Leandro Leviste, who appeared before during one of the hearings of the committee.

He also cited the voluntary appearance of former Rep. Vicente Veloso, who appeared before a hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Illegal Drugs.

"Kaya nga time-honored tradition ang tawag. Hindi pa rin ba pumapasok sa bumbunan niya yun (That's why inter-parliamentary courtesy is considered a time-honored tradition. Has that not sunk in the crown of his head)?" he added.

Lacson was referring to Marcoleta's claims in a radio interview urging the panel to invite Romualdez, saying the former Speaker is "ready to talk" on the flood control mess.

Earlier, the senator pointed out that Romualdez should have heeded the panel's invitations for him to attend its hearings last Nov. 14 and Jan. 19 but he did not show up.

On the other hand, Sen. Risa Hontiveros expressed hope that more senators will sign Lacson’s partial committee report on the flood control probe.

Hontiveros noted that six of them have already signed it, “only three are needed for this to be sponsored on the floor.”

“So we will continue to follow up to see if there are more people who can sign so that at least the results of the investigation can be reported to our countrymen,” she said in Filipino in an interview over Bombo Radyo.

“Our countrymen are really waiting and they and we all need and should know the whole truth,” she stressed.

Hontiveros also said she is waiting in anticipation on former Rep. Zaldy Co’s return to the Philippines as “he would be a big piece to add to the puzzle that is being built to fit into the final committee report” of the blue ribbon panel.

“So I really hope the process of bringing him back to the country moves forward. And when he returns here, I hope he will present to the people what he knows in full, complete and true about the flood control scam,” the senator said.