Camille Naredo

Senator Erwin Tulfo and Senator Alan Peter Cayetano. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

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Victoria Tulad

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/1780490739450THUMB.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Senator Erwin Tulfo and Senator Alan Peter Cayetano. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Senator Erwin Tulfo and Senator Alan Peter Cayetano. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA (<strong>UPDATED</strong>) -- Will the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee (BRC) hold its ninth hearing on Thursday, June 4? </p><p>Things remain uncertain as the new majority and Senator Alan Peter Cayetano are saying different things.</p><p>The new BRC chairman, Senator Erwin Tulfo, said the June 4 hearing is cancelled and will be held on Monday, June 8. </p><p>Late Wednesday evening, Tulfo sent an official notice declaring that the public hearing initially scheduled for June 4, Thursday, is &quot;postponed until further notice.&quot;</p><p>Cayetano, however, insisted they will continue the June 4 hearing, aside from asserting that he is still Senate President. </p><div><a class="fr-green" href="http://Tulfo says Blue Ribbon flood control probe to resume on June 8"><strong>Tulfo says Blue Ribbon flood control probe to resume on June 8</strong></a></div><p>“That’s illegal na po yung kanyang kuwan tomorrow,” Tulfo remarked. “We have already instructed the OSAA, the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms, the Senate Secretary. All seats vacant na po di ba? We declared it. So illegal na po yung gagawin niya because there is already a new Blue Ribbon Chairman.” </p><p>According to Cayetano in a Facebook Live, however: “Tomorrow, tuloy ang hearing ng Blue Ribbon Committee. I am still the legitimate, legal, moral Senate President of the Republic of the Philippines. There is still functioning committees, we have to hear the testimonies. Invited po pati po yung mga gumawa ng ilegal ngayon. You can try to stop us but you will be stopping the Filipino people.” </p><p>At past 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Cayetano issued a memo to Senate officials and personnel saying the hearing will push through. </p><p>&quot;I&#x27;m issuing a memo to the Secretariat and to the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA) to keep the Senate open tomorrow. We will have the Blue Ribbon Committee (hearing). As Senate President, nasa authority ko po ang premises ng Senado,&quot; said Cayetano.</p><p>Cayetano insisted that Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian&#x27;s election as Senate President Pro Tempore was unlawful, and warned Senate officials against restricting access to the complex.</p><p>&quot;Do not padlock the Senate. Do not have an excuse na may rally... I will go to the Senate before 10 o&#x27;clock. I will do what I can to open the session hall and our hearings will be there,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;Senator Erwin is not the legal chairperson of the Blue Ribbon Committee. Senator Pia Cayetano is the chairperson because there was no quorum. There was no session under the law that took place,&quot; he also said.</p><p>Earlier in the day, Cayetano and Senator Rodante Marcoleta had a Facebook Live and said there are people blocking the hearing they want to hold. </p><p>“Talagang lahat ay ginagawa para hindi matuloy ang sunod-sunod na mga hearing kung saan ay ang katotohanan at buong katotohanan ay lalabas,” Cayetano said. </p><div><a class="fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/3/senate-plenary-session-majority-minority-1501"><strong>Escudero breaks Senate impasse despite Cayetano group’s boycott</strong></a></div><p>“And ang balak talaga ay agawin ang mga committees kaya kung sila ay nag-walkout kami naman ay gumamit din ng parliamentary tool na hindi magkaroon ng quorum para maprotektahan ang katotohanan,” he added. </p><p>Marcoleta said: “Baka ito na po ang pinakahuling pagkakataon na ang katotohanan, ang katwiran ay mananaig. Kagaya po ng sinabi ni SP Alan, lahat po ay gagawin nila para patuloy na pagtakpan ang isang issue na kayong lahat ay may kinalaman sapagkat pera po ninyo ang ninakaw nila. Kaya sinabi ko po huwag kayong kukurap. Ang gagawin namin bukas will define the direction of this country kung saan tayo papunta.” </p><p>Tulfo denied the allegation and said the old majority committed several violations in scheduling the June 4 hearing. </p><p>“Dapat i-constitute ang subcommittee upon the instruction of the Chairman of the committee. Sino ba yung chairman noon? Si Senador Pia Cayetano. Number two, yung mga invitations hindi man lang dumaan kahit man lang sa minority leader. Ang minority leader is the ex-officio of the Blue Ribbon. Wala, hindi siya binigyan ng copy. Mabuti pa ang media meron,” Tulfo explained. </p><p>Tulfo said all senators will be members of the BRC so as to avoid allegations of irregularity. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>NEW MAJORITY</strong></div><p>Meanwhile, Gatchalian argued that their move to declare a quorum and change leadership has basis under the ruling of the Court in Avelino v. Cuenco.</p><div><a class="fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/3/-i-am-still-senate-president-cayetano-calls-senate-shake-up-an-illegal-coup-1720"><strong>&#x27;I am still Senate president&#x27;: Cayetano calls Senate shake-up an &#x27;illegal coup&#x27;</strong></a></div><p>&quot;May precedent ito, hindi ito bago. May Avelino case na sinabi kung mayroong mga beyond the powers of the Senate, puwedeng ipagpatuloy ang Senate. At ang basic, meron kaming 12, sa kanila 10, so kami ang majority,&quot; Gatchalian explained.</p><p>&quot;Ngayon meron na tayong functioning Senate,&quot; Gatchalian added. &quot;Balik tayo sa trabaho. Ang gusto namin bumalik na sa trabaho. Hindi tayo puwedeng ganito for the rest of our lives eh ang daming nakabinbin na legislation so kailangan magtrabaho.&quot; </p><p>Senator Francis &quot;Kiko&quot; Pangilinan, meanwhile, said he is relieved with the change in leadership. </p><p>&quot;Relieved for the Senate and we hope that this is a fresh start. Senator Win is the most deserving and most qualified,&quot; Pangilinan said. </p><p>He did not detail the reason for Senator Francis &quot;Chiz&quot; Escudero&#x27;s transfer to their bloc, only saying it was a long process and that he was thankful Escudero agreed.</p><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="960" height="540" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jYiP1xgW5wQ?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong></div>

<p>Will the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee (BRC) hold its ninth hearing on Thursday, June 4?</p>

Will the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee (BRC) hold its ninth hearing on Thursday, June 4?

Senators clash on Blue Ribbon hearing resumption

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Senators clash on Blue Ribbon hearing resumption

Victoria Tulad,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 03, 2026 08:47 PM PHT

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Updated June 04, 2026 02:10 AM PHT

Read More:

Alan Cayetano

Erwin Tulfo

Blue ribbon committee

Flood control

Philippine Senate

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