Newly installed Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman Erwin Tulfo on Friday declared the inquiry conducted by the rival bloc of Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano invalid, saying it lacked the presence of the official Senate Secretariat.

In a radio interview, Tulfo described the Thursday proceedings as a “forum” and “press briefing” rather than a legitimate Senate hearing.

“The only record right now is from those who went live on TV, but on the Senate record, there is none,” Tulfo said in Filipino. “That is really just a forum and cannot be called a hearing because it was just a discussion among themselves. A press briefing, a forum, definitely not a hearing.”

The acting Senate leadership under Senate President Pro Tempore Sherwin Gatchalian had earlier ordered a work-from-home arrangement for Senate personnel, which Tulfo said effectively left the session without official administrative support or recording.

Former Senate President Franklin Drilon, Tulfo said, had made a similar assessment, noting that proceedings without secretariat assistance are not reflected in official Senate records.

Despite declaring the hearing invalid, Tulfo said the new Senate leadership opted not to physically block the Cayetano bloc from using the plenary hall.

He said discussions had been held on whether to lock the session hall, but Gatchalian decided against it to avoid escalating tensions.

“We just let them be because it is not recorded in the Senate journal anyway. We just let them be, and we even watched them,” Tulfo said.

Tulfo also criticized the Senate Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms for what he described as lapses in securing the premises.

Gatchalian had previously directed that no external resource persons be allowed inside the chamber due to the absence of scheduled hearings. However, Tulfo said Senators Robinhood Padilla and Pia Cayetano escorted 18 alleged former Marines into the building, which led to a confrontation at the lobby, including a reported shove involving Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla.

“I want to know, perhaps before we hold the Blue Ribbon hearing on Monday, I will summon our Senate Sergeant-at-Arms members because they seemed sluggish. They were told it was forbidden, yet they let them slip through,” Tulfo said. “I want to know what happened. They are on strike two.”

Tulfo warned that failure to enforce Senate security protocols could expose the chamber to greater risks in the future.

He reiterated that the official Blue Ribbon Committee inquiry into the flood control controversy will proceed on Monday, 8 June, and said invited resource persons, including the 18 alleged former Marines and former congressman Michael Defensor—who is under investigation by the National Bureau of Investigation over alleged bribery claims—are expected to attend or face possible contempt proceedings.