The faction led by Acting Senate President Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian on Thursday described the ongoing Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on alleged flood control anomalies as “bogus,” amid competing proceedings in the chamber.
The hearing was led by Senator Rodante Marcoleta, with Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano and Senators Imee Marcos, Pia Cayetano, and Loren Legarda among those present.
The group proceeded with the inquiry despite newly appointed Blue Ribbon Committee chair Senator Erwin Tulfo announcing that hearings had been moved to June 8 to allow more preparation time.
The Gatchalian-led faction said Filipinos deserve lawmakers who show up for work “not for drama,” following the absence of the Cayetano bloc from Senate sessions for three days. Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero attended Wednesday’s session, which triggered a leadership shake-up after a quorum was established.
In a statement, the faction said the Senate’s mandate is to uphold the Constitution, check abuses, and pass laws for the people’s welfare.
“We urge our colleagues to abandon this bogus ‘hearing,’ respect the rules, the quorum, and the duly constituted leadership of the Senate,” the statement read.
The faction described the rival gathering as “grandstanding in an unofficial and unauthorized gathering” and said the actions were “an insult to the institution” and to taxpayers.
It also alleged that Senate employees were being threatened with legal action if they did not comply.
The statement further noted that there were no official Senate hearings scheduled for Thursday morning and argued that the Cayetano bloc’s proceeding had “no basis in the rules, calendar, or authority of the Senate.”
The Gatchalian-led faction also described the situation as “a naked grab for power.”
“Hindi dasurb ng taumbayan ang ginagawa niyo. Dasurb ng nagpapasweldo sa atin,” the statement added.