Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III denied protecting anyone amid discussions on whether former House Speaker Martin Romualdez may be summoned to the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s inquiry into alleged irregularities in flood control projects. In an interview, Sotto dismissed speculation that his recent phone call with Romualdez meant he was shielding the lawmaker. “No, I have never protected anyone. It is not in my nature to do so,” Sotto said. He clarified that the matter of inter-parliamentary courtesy naturally arises whenever a sitting member of the House of Representatives is involved in Senate proceedings. “Perhaps what we could say is that inter-parliamentary courtesy has to be mentioned, no matter what, because he’s a sitting congressman. I would not have a fairly good judgment of how important that would be,” he said. Sotto said the Senate only invites House members if they are bill sponsors. “We invite members of the House if they are the sponsors of any particular bill,” he added. When asked how crucial it would be for Romualdez to appear before the Blue Ribbon Committee, Sotto said he was not in a position to determine its importance. “He’s only been mentioned once. We have never—and I do not recall—the Senate inviting or issuing a subpoena to any member of Congress from the time I became senator in 1992 up to the present,” he explained. Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson earlier announced that the Blue Ribbon Committee’s next hearing on the flood control controversy will be held on November 14, should he be reelected as the panel’s chair when the Senate resumes session on November 10. Lacson said a “very important witness” is expected to attend the hearing to help fast-track the filing of airtight cases against implicated politicians, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials, and contractors.
