The Senate faction aligned with Senator Alan Peter Cayetano is reportedly pushing through with its flood control investigation on Tuesday — in a hearing to be held outside the Senate premises — amid a warning from the camp of Senator Sherwin Gatchalian that any unauthorized proceeding will not be recognized.
Former Representative Mike Defensor said in a Facebook post the inquiry would proceed at Doublegem EDSA Garden Events Place at 10 a.m., although neither Cayetano nor his allies have officially confirmed this.
Gatchalian, however, said the Senate under his leadership would only recognize the official Blue Ribbon Committee, now chaired by Senator Erwin Tulfo following the 3 June leadership shakeup.
He stressed that any parallel investigation conducted outside the duly constituted committee would have no legal effect and would not be entered into the Senate record.
“The Senate recognizes only one Blue Ribbon Committee, the one headed by Senator Erwin Tulfo. Any hearing or investigation conducted outside of this committee has no legal standing, carries no institutional authority, and will not be recognized by the Senate,” Gatchalian said.
Tulfo’s office issued a separate advisory on Monday disputing Defensor’s announcement, noting that Defensor was neither a senator nor a member of the Blue Ribbon Committee and therefore had no authority to announce official Senate proceedings.
“He possesses no legal standing to announce any proceeding on behalf of the Senate. The Blue Ribbon Committee will not permit its name and institutional integrity to be misrepresented or utilized for unauthorized disclosures,” the advisory read.
In a separate interview, Tulfo maintained that he remained the legitimate Blue Ribbon chair despite the objections of Sen. Pia Cayetano and allies of her brother Alan, who continues to challenge the 3 June leadership takeover as unconstitutional for being short of the required 13-vote majority.
Tulfo said the dispute effectively stripped Cayetano’s bloc of several committee positions, including chairmanships, and questioned the authority of Senator Rodante Marcoleta to participate in any Blue Ribbon hearing.
“The same goes for Senator Marcoleta. He is no longer a member of the Blue Ribbon. So what authority do they still have to conduct a hearing? It is clear this is not a Blue Ribbon hearing; this is a press conference,” Tulfo said.
The planned hearing seeks to continue the 4 June flood control probe initiated by Cayetano’s camp, which Gatchalian’s bloc had dismissed as unofficial since it was not entered into the Senate record.
Cayetano’s faction continues to insist the leadership change was illegal and has accused Gatchalian’s group of trying to derail the investigation to shield allies of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The controversy stemmed from the testimonies of 18 supposed security aides and “bagmen” of former lawmaker Elizaldy Co, who claimed that they delivered cash from flood control projects to Marcos and other politicians, including Tulfo.
Those named have denied the allegations and have filed libel complaints, while critics have pointed to inconsistencies in the witnesses’ affidavits and questioned their credibility.
