Senator Imee Marcos on Tuesday called on Filipinos to be more vigilant amid ongoing tensions within the Senate leadership and developments surrounding the flood control probe.

The statement came after a Blue Ribbon Committee hearing led by the Alan Peter Cayetano bloc did not push through.

Marcos, who was reportedly barred from entering DoubleGem EDSA Garden Events Place where the hearing was supposed to be held, urged the public to resist what she described as moves that suppress rights and freedoms, and called for peaceful and orderly action.

“[M]aging tapat sa inyong damdamin at labanan ang mga hakbang ng pagsikil sa ating karapatan at kalayaan,” she said.

She also criticized what she described as increasing pressure against officials raising concerns.

“Lantaran na po ang buong pwersa ng panggigipit sa mga naninindigan para sa KATOTOHANAN,” she said.

“Kami pong mga senador na unang sumubok na ilatag ang buong katotohanan sa bansa ay nagpulong at nagkasundong magdesisyon na isinasaalang-alang ang kaligtasan ng aming mga pamilya at opisina habang hindi iwinawaksi ang pananagutan namin sa bayan,” she added.

“Garapal ang pananakot, Garapal ang pagyurak sa Senado at sa saligang-batas, ipipilit ang pamumulitika at pagwasak sa Konstitusyon."

Meanwhile, 18 alleged former Marines arrived at the venue for the scheduled Senate Blue Ribbon Committee event.

DoubleGem EDSA Garden Events Place earlier said the event would “no longer proceed as planned,” stressing it had no affiliation with the organizers or the subject of the gathering.