MANILA - Sen. Lito Lapid was the lone Senate Blue Ribbon Committee member who refused to sign the panel's partial report that recommended the filing of graft and drug charges against former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Oscar Albayalde and 13 policemen for the alleged reselling of confiscated narcotics in 2013.
Of the committee's 17 members, 14 personally signed the report that found Albayalde and his men liable for selling at least 160 kilograms of shabu worth around P648 million and the crime's eventual cover-up.
The signatories were:
- Blue Ribbon Committee chair Richard Gordon
- Sen. Sonny Angara
- Sen. Pia Cayetano
- Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian
- Sen. Bong Go
- Sen. Risa Hontiveros
- Sen. Panfilo Lacson
- Sen. Imee Marcos
- Sen. Manny Pacquiao
- Sen. Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III
- Sen. Grace Poe
- Sen. Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr.
- Sen. Francis Tolentino
- Sen. Cynthia Villar
Sen. Francis Pangilinan, who was out on official business, told Gordon to sign on his behalf, while detained Sen. Leila de Lima was represented by her chief of staff, lawyer Phillip Sawali.
The committee's ex-officio members Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, and Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon also signed the committee report.
Porac-born Lapid, who served as Pampanga governor and vice governor prior to his stint in the Senate, has yet to respond to ABS-CBN News' queries on why he refused to sign the report lauded and endorsed by his colleagues.
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