Senator Erwin Tulfo on Sunday apologized to the Alan Peter Cayetano-led faction after threatening to have its members arrested if they proceeded with what he described as a “fake” Blue Ribbon Committee investigation into alleged flood control anomalies.
Tulfo admitted that his remarks about arresting, manhandling and dragging Cayetano or any member of his bloc who would conduct another hearing without his approval were “aggressive and inappropriate.”
He said his statements stemmed from frustration over what he viewed as attempts to delay or derail the investigation, which now falls under his leadership as the newly installed Blue Ribbon Committee chairman.
“This is not how an official, much less a senator, should behave,” Tulfo said. “However, it was still wrong.”
He also apologized to the public for what he described as the Senate's “paralyzed” work amid the continuing leadership dispute.
“I call upon my fellow senators: let us end this division. Because outside of the Senate, some of us are friends, or even close peers and companions. So, let us just go back to work,” he said.
Tulfo stressed that a united Senate could continue investigating government irregularities “without fear.”
“Let's set aside personal interests. Let's unite to restore the Senate's integrity and strength,” he added.
Tulfo's earlier remarks came after Cayetano and his allies proceeded with a flood control hearing on Thursday despite the leadership change that transferred control of the Blue Ribbon Committee.
The Senate dispute began after a surprise realignment during the chamber's final session before sine die adjournment, when Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero broke away from Cayetano's majority bloc.
The shift increased the former minority bloc's membership from 11 to 12, allowing it to declare Senate leadership positions vacant and install Senator Sherwin Gatchalian as acting Senate president while electing new committee chairpersons.
Cayetano's camp has challenged the move, arguing that the Senate Constitution requires at least 13 votes to remove and elect a Senate president.
The Gatchalian bloc, however, cited the 1949 Supreme Court ruling in Avelino v. Cuenco, arguing that the operative Senate membership is currently 22, making 12 votes sufficient for a majority after accounting for the absence of Senator Jinggoy Estrada and the continued unavailability of Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.
The interpretation has been backed by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and several legal experts, although the Supreme Court has yet to issue a definitive ruling on the leadership dispute.
