Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Marilyn Cahatol

RG Cruz

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1781511407694viber_image_2026-06-15_09-26-53 (8).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Sen. Erwin Tulfo vowed to lead an evidence-based inquiry into government flood control projects as the Blue Ribbon Committee convened on Monday, June 8, 2026<em>. 📸 Joseph B. Vidal/Senate Social Media Unit/Facebook</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee led by Sen. Erwin Tulfo on Monday said there would be no panel hearing on Tuesday, June 16, after former lawmaker and businessman Mike Defensor announced a proceeding involving senators allied with Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano. </p><p>The Tulfo-led Blue Ribbon panel, in a statement, said the supposed hearing on Tuesday was “made without the authority, and approval of the Committee.”</p><p>It said the scheduled hearing was “illegitimate” for bypassing the Senate rule mandating a formal three-day notice and agenda distribution prior to any committee hearing.</p><p>The statement also stressed that Defensor is not a member of the Senate and the Blue Ribbon panel.  </p><p>“He possesses no legal standing to announce any proceeding on behalf of the Senate.&quot;</p><p>Defensor, who <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/28/mike-defensor-admits-helping-ex-marines-1808"></a><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/28/mike-defensor-admits-helping-ex-marines-1808">assists </a>the 18 ex-bodyguards and staff of former House member Zaldy Co who claimed to have delivered suitcases of cash, called for public support for a “Blue Ribbon Committee hearing” along EDSA on Tuesday. </p><p>He said the 18, with 14 new self-confessed witnesses, as well as senators allied with Cayetano, would be present. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/9/ombudsman-co-s-alleged-ex-bodyguards-should-issue-individual-affidavits-1424">Ombudsman: Co&#x27;s alleged ex-bodyguards should issue individual affidavits</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>TULFO, ALLIES STUDYING SITUATION</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Tulfo said he and the senators supporting Senate President Pro Tempore Sherwin Gatchalian are studying ways to hold the senators involved in the supposed Blue Ribbon proceedings accountable. </p><p>&quot;Eh, tinitingnan pa ho namin. Titingnan ko po, ng leadership kung meron bang paglabag. Pero initially po, we&#x27;re looking at usurpation of authority po yun, yung ginagawa niya po na ganun. Unless kung sasabihin niya, ‘Pinost ko lang dahil inutusan ako ng minority o ng grupo ni Senator Cayetano kaya pinost ko lang,’&quot; Tulfo said.</p><p>&quot;Pero kung sasabihin nila it&#x27;s more of a press conference, papaano mo naman? Eh &#x27;di ba may freedom of expression tayo, may freedom of speech tayo sa ating bayan,” he added. </p><p>The senator questioned why the former House member is calling for support, alleging that the event’s objective is to destabilize the government. </p><p>“Ano po ang objective nila? Eh siguro destabilization. Malinaw po sa sikat ng araw na sisiraan na naman kung sino-sino. Sigurado ako 99.9 percent, damay na naman diyan Pangulo, lahat na naman ng mga opisyal, yung mga hindi pa nabanggit, mabanggit nila na kung ano-anong binabanggit nila diyan,” he said. </p><p>Tulfo maintained that the Tuesday event is a gathering or press conference — which is how their bloc characterized the last Cayetano-led probe on June 4.</p><p>There would also be no committee secretariat to record the event officially, he said. </p><p>Tulfo underscored that Senators Pia Cayetano and Rodante Marcoleta may no longer lead the panel since all seats were declared vacant on June 3.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>GATCHALIAN: &#x27;NO INSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY&#x27;</strong></div><div> </div><p>Gatchalian, in a separate statement, highlighted that “the Senate recognizes only one Blue Ribbon Committee, the one headed by Senator Erwin Tulfo,” and that any hearing conducted outside of it “has no legal standing, carries no institutional authority, and will not be recognized by the Senate.”</p><p>He reiterated his call for all witnesses and resource persons to come forward and testify before the “official” Blue Ribbon Committee.</p><p>“Ang Senado ay nakatuon sa tunay na pag-imbestiga at pag-uusig ng korapsyon sa tamang paraan at sa tamang forum. Iyon ang aming pangako sa sambayanang Pilipino,” Gatchalian said.</p><p>During the last &quot;hearing&quot; led by Cayetano and Marcoleta, the 18 supposed ex-bodyguards <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/4/gatchalian-resource-persons-won-t-be-allowed-to-enter-senate-on-thursday-0948">linked </a>President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and members of his family, as well as senators from a rival Senate bloc and opposition figures to the alleged kickback scheme involving flood control projects. </p><p>Several individuals, including Tulfo, have filed complaints against the alleged witnesses.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/8/tulfo-ex-marines-bagmen-libel-1553">Tulfo sues 3 of 18 ‘bagmen’ for defamation</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ScwqYDL77jg?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee led by Sen. Erwin Tulfo on Monday said there would be no panel hearing on Tuesday, June 16, after former lawmaker and businessman Mike Defensor announced a proceeding involving senators allied with Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano.</p>

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee led by Sen. Erwin Tulfo on Monday said there would be no panel hearing on Tuesday, June 16, after former lawmaker and businessman Mike Defensor announced a proceeding involving senators allied with Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano.

Tulfo-led Blue Ribbon says 'no hearing' on Tuesday

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Tulfo-led Blue Ribbon says 'no hearing' on Tuesday

Marilyn Cahatol,

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 15, 2026 04:21 PM PHT

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Updated June 15, 2026 04:59 PM PHT

Read More:

Erwin Tulfo

Blue Ribbon

Senate

flood control

hearing

Mike Defensor

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