Blue Ribbon may still summon ‘ex-Marines’MANILA, Philippines — The Senate Blue Ribbon committee is still open to holding a hearing on the alleged money delivery scheme – as claimed by 16 “ex-Marines” and two other alleged soldiers – as long as they tell the truth and not turn it into a circus, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson has said. “While the Blue Ribbon committee’s doors are not closed to them, they just need to correct their statements so the hearing does not turn into a circus,” the senator, who chairs the panel, said. Had it been at least P80 billion in kickbacks and not a whopping P805 billion, it would have been more believable, and he would have opened a Blue Ribbon inquiry immediately, Lacson said. The important thing is to bring their statements closer to reality so that the Blue Ribbon committee will not be entertaining lies. Lacson said the Blue Ribbon committee’s partial committee report still needs five signatures before it can be reported to the plenary for approval.

Source: Philippine Star March 13, 2026 16:35 UTC