Manila, April 27 -- Senate President Pro Tempore and Blue Ribbon Committee chair Panfilo Lacson on Monday defended the long-standing procedure in inviting House of Representatives members to hearings, stressing that inter-parliamentary courtesy must be observed in the inquiry into flood control anomalies.

Lacson said invitations to incumbent members of the House are coursed through the Office of the Speaker, in line with established practice under the bicameral system.

"Mula pa nung unang nagbukas ang Philippine Congress under a bicameral system, umiiral na ang inter-parliamentary courtesy between the two chambers (Since the Philippine Congress first operated under a bicameral system, inter-parliamentary courtesy between the two chamber...