Camille Naredo

The Cayetano bloc, led by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, pushed through with its scheduled hearing on the alleged flood control controversy on Thursday, June 4, 2026, featuring 18 ex-Marines as resource persons. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

The Cayetano bloc, led by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, pushed through with its scheduled hearing on the alleged flood control controversy on Thursday, June 4, 2026, featuring 18 ex-Marines as resource persons. During the meeting, Senators Alan Peter Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, Imee Marcos, Robin Padilla, Loren Legarda, and Representative Rodante Marcoleta questioned the legitimacy of Senator Sherwin Gatchalian’s election as Senate President Pro Tempore.
Members of the Senate minority—collectively known as the Solid Bloc-11—moved to elect Gatchalian as the new Senate President Pro Tempore after getting the required voting threshold, taking into account the arrest of Senator Jinggoy Estrada last Monday and the fact that Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa is currently in hiding. The minority pushed through with the vote after members of the majority failed to attend the plenary session for three consecutive days. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

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SENATE -CAYETANO BLOC- BLUE RIBBON

Mon Rodelas

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/178283106926420260604-senate-cayetano-bloc-blue-ribbon-marcoleta-MT1-6.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="The Cayetano bloc, led by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, pushed through with its scheduled hearing on the alleged flood control controversy on Thursday, June 4, 2026, featuring 18 ex-Marines as resource persons. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The Cayetano bloc, led by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, pushed through with its scheduled hearing on the alleged flood control controversy on Thursday, June 4, 2026, featuring 18 ex-Marines as resource persons. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Senator Alan Peter Cayetano defended his participation in the EDSA rally on Tuesday, saying he joined to show solidarity with supporters who, he said, had sacrificed their time to demand what they believe is truth and justice, while questioning the timing of the reported plunder complaint against fellow senator Rodante Marcoleta.</p><p>In an interview, Cayetano said he felt compelled to attend after seeing people &quot;spontaneously&quot; gather, adding that the fight was no longer confined to the Senate but had become a battle for &quot;the hearts and minds&quot; of Filipinos.</p><p>“When I saw that spontaneously lumabas ang mga tao, I felt I owe it to them na the fight is not just in the Senate, it’s in the hearts and minds,” the senator said. “So, for people to sacrifice their time, um-absent, magutom, to be here, siguro maliit na bagay na dumating tayo at makiisa.”</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/30/iglesia-ni-cristo-backs-marcoleta-amid-plunder-raps-questions-selective-justice-0920">READ: Iglesia ni Cristo backs Marcoleta amid plunder raps, questions &#x27;selective justice&#x27;</a></div><p>Cayetano also described as &quot;strange&quot; but &quot;expected&quot; the reported filing of a case against Marcoleta just days before the Senate&#x27;s impeachment proceedings, arguing that their group had long anticipated legal actions against members of the opposition.</p><p>He claimed senators aligned with their bloc were living on &quot;borrowed time&quot; amid what he described as increasing political pressure.</p><p>The Office of the Ombudsman said Monday it would file a plunder case against Marcoleta and former lawmaker Michael Defensor over the non-disclosure of P75 million in campaign donations.</p><p>Marcoleta previously admitted in a television interview that he did not disclose campaign contributions from Defensor and businessmen Joseph Espiritu and Aristotle Viray during the 2025 midterm elections because they had wanted to remain anonymous. The senator argued that since the funds were received a month before the official campaign period, they became &quot;personal funds&quot; under the Peñera doctrine, which states that a person is only considered a candidate at the start of the campaign period.</p><p>In his speech, Cayetano questioned conflicting statements over the alleged &quot;mastermind&quot; behind the flood control controversy, noting that Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla had reportedly said there was a mastermind, while Panfilo Lacson had said otherwise.</p><p>“Si Ombudsman Boying Remulla mismo nagsabing meron mastermind. Sabi po ni Ombudsman meron mastermind. Ano po ang sabi ni Senator Lacson? Walang mastermind,” Cayetano expressed.</p><p>He also accused the administration of failing to curb corruption despite President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.&#x27;s call for officials -- “Mahiya naman kayo!” -- during his 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA).</p><p>“Hindi na po sila nahihiya. Sa totoo lang po, kawalang hiya na ang ginagawa,” Cayetano added.</p><p>The senator further argued that accepting campaign donations should not automatically constitute plunder, warning that such an interpretation could expose many elected officials to criminal liability.</p><p>“Kung pandarambong po ang pag accept ng campaign donation, hindi po bribery ha. Iba po yung bribery… Kung yun po ay plunder, baka kalahati po ng mga nanunungkulan sa gobyerno ay sama-sama na dapat makulong dahil sa mga donasyon,” he reiterated, adding that Marcoleta&#x27;s real offense was pursuing what he described as the whole truth behind the issue.</p><p>Cayetano, meanwhile, defended the protest action, saying Filipinos would have had no reason to rally if corruption had truly ended after a year.</p><p>He argued that demonstrators blocked EDSA because, in his view, the path to justice had already been obstructed, insisting the protest was a response to what he described as the continued absence of accountability and truth.</p><p>“Kung nahiya na lahat, e di dapat nagra-rally tayo dito para magpasalamat. Pero ang katotohanan po, tuloy pa rin naman ang korupsyon… Sabi nila, hinaharang natin ang daan. Oo. Bakit? Eh hinaharang nyo na yung daan ng hustisya. Edi, harangin naman namin ang EDSA,” he said.</p><div><a class="fr-strong fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/30/protesters-at-manila-rally-question-looming-marcoleta-plunder-case-1414">Protesters at Manila rally question looming Marcoleta plunder case</a></div><p>The rally caused heavy traffic along major roads along EDSA, as thousands of rallyists gathered near the People Power Monument in Quezon City, blocking portions of the highway and forcing authorities to implement traffic management measures during the morning rush hour.</p><p>Several buses and private vehicles used by participants occupied sections of EDSA near White Plains Avenue, making the northbound lanes toward North Avenue impassable. </p><div><a class="fr-strong fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/30/traffic-snarls-hit-edsa-as-thousands-of-inc-members-gather-for-rally-1003">Traffic snarls hit EDSA as thousands of INC members gather for &#x27;emergency rally&#x27;</a></div><div><a class="fr-strong fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/30/malaca-ang-scorns-protesters-for-abuse-after-surprise-rally-causes-public-inconvenience-1630">Malacañang scorns protesters for ‘abuse’ after EDSA ‘surprise rally’ causes public inconvenience</a></div>

<p>Senator Alan Peter Cayetano defended his participation in the EDSA rally on Tuesday, saying he joined to show solidarity with supporters who, he said, had sacrificed their time to demand what they believe is truth and justice.</p>

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano defended his participation in the EDSA rally on Tuesday, saying he joined to show solidarity with supporters who, he said, had sacrificed their time to demand what they believe is truth and justice.

Cayetano defends EDSA rally, questions timing of Marcoleta plunder complaint

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Cayetano defends EDSA rally, questions timing of Marcoleta plunder complaint

Mon Rodelas,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 30, 2026 10:54 PM PHT

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Alan Peter Cayetano

Rodante Marcoleta

flood control scandal

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