ACTING Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian slammed on Thursday, June 4, 2026, the “bogus” hearing of the Cayetano-led bloc on the anomalous flood control projects.
In a statement while Senator Rodante Marcoleta, head of the Senate Blue Ribbon sub-committee of the bloc led by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, was presiding a hearing on flood control anomalies, Gatchalian said the proceedings has no basis in the rules, calendar or authority of the Senate.
“We urge our colleagues to abandon this bogus ‘hearing,’ respect the rules, the quorum, and the duly constituted leadership of the Senate,” Gatchalian said.
“The Senate’s mandate is to uphold the Constitution, check abuses, and pass laws for the people’s welfare,” he added.
Gatchalian said instead of attending “legitimately called sessions,” the members of the Cayetano-bloc are “grandstanding in an unofficial and unauthorized gathering,” an “insult” to the institution and to the Filipino people who pay their hard-earned taxes.
He accused the members of the Cayetano-bloc of grabbing and clinging to power something they already lost during the “valid and constitutional” Senate reorganization held on Wednesday, June 3.
“For clarity, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano is no longer Senate President after the Senate, with 12 senators present and a quorum declared based on the recognized base number of 22 under Avelino v. Cuenco, voted to declare all positions vacant, including the presidency of the institution,” the Gatchalian bloc said.
Gatchalian was installed as the Senate President pro tempore and acting Senate President on Wednesday, June 4, after the minority bloc said they reached a quorum for a plenary voting following the sudden appearance of Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero.
The 12 present senators also elected a new committee chairperson.
Senator Erwin Tulfo, who was assigned to head the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, said the panel’s inquiry into flood control anomalies will resume on June 8.
Insisting that he remains to be the Senate President, Cayetano pushed through the Blue Ribbon committee hearing with the 18 ex-marines as the only resource persons.
Tension erupted anew within the Senate premises after Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla allegedly tried to block the entry of the 18 ex-Marines to attend the proceedings.
Due to the absence of the Senate secretariat, Cayetano administered the oath of the resource persons.
Malacañang earlier recognized the leadership of Gatchalian.
In a press conference, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said the executive department will only acknowledge messages coming from the new Senate leadership.
She said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is also considering calling for a Congress special session should Gatchalian request for it.
“Kasi kung maraming maantala dahil sa nangyayaring ganitong kaganapan, hindi po nais ng Pangulo na magkaroon ng pag-antala sa trabaho ng Senado,” Castro said.
(Because if many things are delayed due to this kind of situation, the President does not want there to be any delay in the work of the Senate.)
“Provided lamang po ang official request ay dapat po rin kinapapalooban ng valid grounds for a calling of a special session,” she added. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)