Senate committee to probe Drilon

Sen. Franklin Drilon delivers his speech at the Wallace Business Forum in 2013. Photo by Joseph Vidal/PRIB via Drilon’s Facebook page.

MANILA – Senate blue ribbon committee chairman Teofisto Guingona III said that they will begin the investigation of the alleged involvement of Senate President Franklin Drilon in the overpricing of the P700-million Iloilo Convention Center.

The said convention center was a pet project of Drilon, funded under his pork barrel.

While there is no specific date on the beginning of the investigation, Guingona said that the probe will begin “as soon as initial preparations have been completed.”

“The blue ribbon committee will initiate the probe of these controversies that are also partly covered by Senate Resolution No. 906 filed by Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago,” Guingona said.

A resolution was earlier filed by Santiago, seeking to conduct an inquiry into the alleged anomalous transactions between certain local government units and Hilmar’s Construction Corporation.

Hilmarc’s was also the construction company who build the allegedly overpriced Makati City Hall Building II.

Drilon, meanwhile has made an announcement saying he will not oppose the senate’s decision to conduct an inquiry.

“I have nothing to hide. Any inquiry or investigation will validate the facts and figures of this project, and will just show how absurd these vile allegations really are,” Drilon said in a statement.