Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto on Wednesday, 7 January, belied Senator Imee Marcos' accusation that senators are now barred from mentioning the names of high-ranking government officials involved in the flood control mess during the Blue Ribbon Committee hearing.

"Imposible, walang nagbabawal ng kahit ano sa kahit sino. Baka magalit si Sen Lacson sa bintang na iyan. Imbento (Impossible. No one is barring anything from anyone. Sen. Lacson might be mad with that accusation. Lies)," Sotto told reporters in a Viber message.

Meanwhile, in a separate statement, Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Chairperson Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson said he chooses not to dignify Marcos' "unfair, untruthful, and baseless accusations."

Lacson said this is out of respect for all the senators of the 20th Congress and the "hardworking staff" of the Blue Ribbon Committee.

The senators made the statement following Marcos' claim that some senators were now being barred from mentioning "big names," including that of her cousin, former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Marcos said that the cases that she said would be filed against senators Jinggoy Estrada, Joel Villanueva, and former Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. seemed like a diversion from going after House leaders implicated in the anomalous flood control projects.