MANILA — Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson has raised concern over former House Speaker Martin Romualdez’s decision not to attend a Senate inquiry into alleged irregularities in flood control projects.
Lacson said Romualdez missed opportunities to explain his side after being invited by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to attend hearings in November and January, which were meant to address allegations linking him to alleged alterations in the 2025 national budget.
He noted that the committee had extended at least two formal invitations for Romualdez to respond to claims connecting him to the budget issue, which has also been associated with questionable flood control projects and other reported irregularities.
“The Blue Ribbon Committee gave the former Speaker at least two chances through official invitations to testify under oath and in public, where he could have strongly defended himself against allegations that he masterminded the alleged ‘mangling beyond recognition’ of the 2025 national budget during the bicameral conference. He now claims only two individuals were behind the changes—then Senate President Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero and former congressman and House Appropriations Chairman Elizaldy ‘Zaldy’ Co,” Lacson said.
The invitations were sent through the office of House Speaker Faustino Dy III in observance of inter-parliamentary courtesy, but Romualdez did not attend the hearings held on November 14 and January 19.
On Tuesday, Romualdez issued a video statement denying any participation in budget deliberations for 2025, which has been described as heavily altered and containing questionable items allegedly linked to corruption.
He instead pointed to Escudero and Co as responsible for the changes, stressing that he was not part of the bicameral conference committee or the so-called “small committee” that handled revisions to the General Appropriations Bill after its approval by both chambers of Congress.
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