The Senate leadership has formed a sub-committee in order to tackle the proposed bills referred to the Committee on Civil Service, Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation, chaired by Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, in view of his absence.

The sub-committee is now led by Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, reported RH 28 Raymund Dadpaas on Friday, February 27.

After Escudero accepted his new designation, his office issued a statement saying he would immediately act on Senate Bill 783, which seeks to prohibit government officials’ relatives from acquiring government contracts, authored by Senator Joel Villanueva.

The bill seeks to bar government officials’ relatives—until the fourth degree of consanguinity—from obtaining contracts for government projects to avoid influence.

In the flood control scandal, many of the contracts to expose anomalous projects were awarded to construction companies owned by the congressmen themselves or their family members.

According to Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri, dela Rosa himself requested the formation of the sub-committee, although Zubiri did not elaborate as to how they received such a request, with dela Rosa having been in hiding for months.