MANILA – The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee is refining its draft report after consultations with the Department of Justice (DOJ), Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), and Office of the Ombudsman to assess whether available evidence is sufficient to support its findings, a senator said.

In an ambush interview, Sen. Erwin Tulfo said the meeting, held after committee hearings, aimed to align positions and clarify the direction of the draft report, which he described as still under review.

Tulfo said the consultation involved only some committee members to determine if there is enough evidence to justify the recommendations under consideration.

Present at the meeting were Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Blue Ribbon Committee chairperson and Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson, and Senators Sherwin Gatchalian, Loren Legarda, and Raffy Tulfo.

He raised concerns about whether the cases being examined are “airtight,” warning that weak cases could eventually be dismissed, wasting the efforts of the Senate and investigative agencies.

“Sayang kung hindi naman airtight… We’ll be wasting our time, the effort of the DOJ, Ombudsman, the Blue Ribbon, pati ang mga taong madadamay (It would be a waste if the cases are not airtight… we would be wasting our time, the effort of the DOJ, Ombudsman, Blue Ribbon, and even those who would be affected),” Tulfo said.

Tulfo clarified that the agencies did not provide firm assurances during the meeting, which focused on exchanging views, and that the cases are still being completed. He and Legarda left early due to another engagement, while Lacson, Gatchalian, and Sotto remained.

Asked whether the draft report could secure enough signatures to be brought to the plenary, Tulfo said he has yet to read the full document due to its length and noted that senators’ reactions have been mixed.

“May iba na hesitant… may kulang, parang malamya… yung iba naman very strong worded (Some are hesitant, saying there are gaps or that it’s weak, while others find it very strongly worded),” he said.

Tulfo added that it is uncertain when the report will be taken up in plenary due to a packed agenda, but said it will eventually reach the floor for consideration.