THE FLOOD-CONTROL HEARINGS ARE SLOWLY TURNING INTO ACTUAL CASE-BUILDING
The Senate’s flood-control investigation has already produced months of hearings, accusations, testimony and political fights.
The next part may be less dramatic to watch, but it is more important.
Records gathered by senators are now being used by the Office of the Ombudsman and other investigators as they decide whether actual cases can be filed.
The Ombudsman has already received the Blue Ribbon Committee’s partial report and supporting records.
Senators have also said documents and testimony gathered during the hearings can be sent to the Ombudsman and the Department of Justice.
A Senate hearing can expose problems and put witnesses under public questioning.
It cannot convict anyone.
That job belongs to prosecutors and the courts.
The Ombudsman now has to check whether the testimony heard in the Senate is supported by contracts, payment records, project documents, financial records and other proof strong enough to support a criminal case.
Some accusations may become cases.
Others may be dropped if the evidence is weak.
That is why the next stage deserves attention even if it gets fewer television clips.
For months, Filipinos have heard names, amounts and accusations connected to questionable flood-control projects.
The harder test begins when investigators have to prove those claims outside a Senate hearing.
WHAT TO WATCH
Watch for Ombudsman resolutions and actual court filings. Those documents will tell us which accusations investigators believe they can prove, who will be charged and which claims do not move forward.