SENATE President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III confirmed that Sen. Erwin Tulfo is among those being considered to succeed Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson as chairperson of the powerful Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.
“Yes. Obviously because he [Tulfo] is the vice chairman of the panel,” Sotto said in a group chat with Senate reporters.
Sotto earlier named Senators JV Ejercito, Raffy Tulfo, Kiko Pangilinan, Pia Cayetano, and Risa Hontiveros as possible replacements for Lacson, who resigned after facing criticism over the committee’s probe into alleged anomalies in flood control projects.
Senators Raffy Tulfo and Pangilinan have already declined the offer, citing their existing committee responsibilities.
Ejercito said he preferred that “someone more qualified” take the position, while Cayetano and Hontiveros have yet to comment.
Lacson stepped down from the post following claims from fellow senators that the Blue Ribbon Committee’s investigation had “lost focus.”
In his resignation letter, Lacson denied shielding any member of the House of Representatives involved in the probe.