*Cayetano urges public to guard against selective justice in flood control probe

Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano on Thursday urged the public to guard against selective justice in the Senate’s investigation into alleged anomalies in flood control projects, saying the Blue Ribbon Committee hearings should remain focused on uncovering the truth rather than producing scapegoats.

Speaking to reporters after the June 4 Blue Ribbon Committee hearing, Cayetano said Filipinos should closely monitor the proceedings to ensure that the investigation remains fair and credible.

“Kaya nga ang sinasabi ko sa inyo: Bantayan ninyo ng husto ang Blue Ribbon Committee hearings kasi imbes na maging instrument for truth, ginagamit na instrument para magkaroon ng scapegoats, selective justice, o kaya ginagamit para hindi mabuo y’ung tunay na Majority,” he said.

Asked why members of the Majority bloc did not attend the last three plenary sessions, Cayetano said the move was a parliamentary response to actions taken by the Minority bloc, which he said later resorted to an “illegal maneuver” instead of following Senate rules.

“‘Di ba nag-walk out sila kasi ayaw nila na makaboto y’ung trese [Majority]. So they used a parliamentary tool which is calling the quorum then adjournment. So, we also used a parliamentary tool na walang quorum,” he said.

“But sila, instead na sumunod sa rules nung nacheckmate sila eh binasura nila y’ung Constitution and [Senate] rules by coming with a patently illegal maneuver yesterday. Ganoon lang ka-simple,” he said.

The Senate President claimed that efforts were being made to take control of committees and prevent ongoing investigations from moving forward.

“Ang gusto nilang gawin isa-isang arestuhin y’ung mga nasa majority pagkatapos kukunin nila y’ung committees, at ‘pag nakuha na nila, hindi matutuloy y’ung hearings,” he said.

Cayetano acknowledged that changes in committee leadership may eventually occur but said the Majority bloc wanted key hearings to proceed first.

“Kaya kami alam namin na ‘walking dead’ kami, alam naming anytime kukunin yu’ng committees, alam ko eventually magiging trese sila, but sana lumabas muna y’ung katotohanan bago mangyari iyon,” he said. ###