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Neil Jayson Servallos - The Philippine Star
January 12, 2026 | 1:00am
Pedestrians cross on a makeshift pathway along P. Burgos Street in Manila as gutter-deep floodwaters cover the road following a heavy downpour on September 6, 2025.
Noel Pabalate / The Philippine STAR
MANILA, Philippines — The Senate Blue Ribbon committee will resume its flood control hearings next week to address alleged witness retractions, enforce attendance through subpoenas and begin scrutinizing public works documents known as the “Cabral files,” its chairman Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson said Saturday.
Lacson said the resumption is scheduled for Jan. 19 at 1 p.m., subject to a quorum.
“I already informed colleagues in the majority through our chat group and I already asked Senate President (Tito) Sotto for permission to have a quorum on Jan. 19 at 1 p.m.,” Lacson told radio dzBB.
He said the committee would first tackle reports that former public works engineers Henry Alcantara and Brice Hernandez had supposedly retracted their sworn statements before the panel – claims that the Department of Justice has publicly denied.
Despite the DOJ’s denial, Lacson said the Blue Ribbon would still examine the issue to clarify whether any counter-affidavits were submitted and to spell out the legal consequences if any witness attempts to recant sworn testimony.
Lacson said recantations of their sworn affidavits could expose Alcantara and Hernandez to criminal liability for perjury, citing Republic Act No. 11594, which increased the penalties for the offense to up to 12 years in prison, a P1 million fine and perpetual disqualification from public office for government officials.
Even if the pair would recant their affidavits implicating government officials and lawmakers in the flood control mess, Lacson stressed that any attempt to retract testimony would not automatically derail the case, as the statements given before the committee are not standing alone.
He said the testimonies of Alcantara, Hernandez and Jaypee Mendoza are supported by documentary and circumstantial evidence, including official budget records.
“If there is a money trail or paper trail accompanying their testimony, the DOJ or the Ombudsman will consider those,” Lacson said.
Subpoenas for Bonoan, Olaivar
In addition to witness retractions, Lacson said the committee would move to compel attendance of individuals who ignored earlier invitations, including former public works secretary Manuel Bonoan and resigned education undersecretary Trygve Olaivar.
“We will issue them a subpoena, and if they still refuse to appear, we will recommend to the Senate President that they be issued warrants of arrest,” he said.
On the so-called Cabral files, Lacson said the committee is preparing to verify documents allegedly detailing allocations for flood control and other infrastructure projects.
He said the documents in his possession showed around P50 billion worth of projects sourced from unprogrammed appropriations, which he said partly explains why the Senate panel in the bicameral conference committee pushed for significant cuts to the unprogrammed appropriations.
Asked whether the committee would invite Batangas 1st district Rep. Leandro Leviste, who publicly disclosed the Cabral files on social media, Lacson said the lawmaker would be invited but not compelled to testify.
Lacson also declined to identify Cabinet secretaries allegedly listed in the documents.
“I’d rather not,” he said.
