Senator Miriam Santiago was at her vitriolic best this morning at the just-concluding hearing into how three Filipino construction firms have been shamefully blacklisted by the World Bank for collusion in landing contracts for WB-funded projects.

Maid Miriam blasted the Department of Finance, the Department of Public Works and Highways, and the Office of the Ombudsman “for sitting on the World Bank Findings even as practically all of us know that these corrupt activities have been exposed.”

Santiago, usually perceived as an ally of the administration, was obviously flabbergasted by the revelation of Sen. Lacson that contractor Eduardo C. De Luna had links with the First Gentleman.

Lacson cited at least 17 occasions when De Luna allegedly met with Mr. Arroyo, accompanied by a former journalist, Resty De Quiros (who  sits in the board of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office).

Lacson detailed how De  Luna himself allegedly hand-carried PhP-70-M in cash to the known office in Makati of Mr. Arroyo with the money accidentally spilling from its container as De Luna was goiing up the stairs of the LTA (Lourdes T. Arroyo) Building on Perea Street.

Senator Santiago was almost shouting at the top of her voice as she castigated DPWH Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane (a retired police general and one-time national security adviser) “for failing to take punitive action against the blacklisted Filipino firms.”

Ebdane told the hearing that while the firms were barred from participating in WB-funded prijects they remain qualified for other infrastructure projects funded with public money.

She angrily adjourned the hearing saying she already knew what punitive recommendations to make, not least of them leveling contempt charges against the Ombudsman and Finance officials who snubbed the proceedings.

We need to see just how far Santiago will push the envelope and if anything will really come out of this absolutely scandalous episode that has reached Malacanang’s doorstep yet again.

Author’s Note: Corrected earlier error re Sen. Lacson’s surname. Pardon the error. Thanks blackshama.