Camille Naredo

Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano during the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, July 8, 2026. Joseph B. Vidal, Senate Social Media Unit

The defense team of Vice President Sara Duterte cross-examines the first witness presented by the House prosecution panel during the third day of the impeachment trial on Wednesday, July 8. The Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, resumed its hearing on Article IV of the Articles of Impeachment, which covers the alleged grave threats by the vice president against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Senior Agent John Mark Calilung, who reviewed the video cited by the prosecution in support of its allegations, returns to the witness stand to respond to questions from defense lawyers. The trial has been adjourned until 2:00 p.m. on Monday, July 13, when the House prosecution panel is expected to present its second witness, Atty. Jeremy Lontoc.
Joseph B. Vidal, Senate Social Media Unit

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VP Sara Impeachment

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<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/178432802084720260709-senate-impeachment-day3-JV-5.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano during the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, July 8, 2026. Joseph B. Vidal, Senate Social Media Unit"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano during the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, July 8, 2026. <em>Joseph B. Vidal, Senate Social Media Unit</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA -- Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday slammed Senator Erwin Tulfo, rejecting the latter&#x27;s advice to &quot;relax&quot; regarding the Senate&#x27;s investigation into massive flood control projects.</p><p>During a livestream late Friday night, Cayetano called the issue the &quot;biggest corruption scandal&quot; in Philippine history, involving trillions of pesos in public funds.  </p><p>Earlier in the day, Tulfo said in a DZMM interview that Cayetano should wait for the Blue Ribbon Committee to resume its probe into the flood control scandal.</p><p>&quot;Mayroon pong kaming mga investigation na gagawin sa flood control, so ika mo, relax lang, &#x27;wag masyado hot… Talaga naman kung ano na lang si Boy Banat. Dadating po tayo d&#x27;yan. Hindi po natin titigilan &#x27;yang flood control na &#x27;yan,&quot; he said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/17/-wag-masyado-hot-tulfo-tells-cayetano-flood-control-probe-to-look-into-new-angles-0859">READ: Tulfo tells Cayetano flood control probe to look into &#x27;new&#x27; angles</a></div><p>Cayetano pointed out the irony of the former broadcaster telling the public to calm down.  </p><p>&quot;Hindi po ako yung hot at hindi po ako yung hindi nagre-relax,&quot; Cayetano said.</p><p>&quot;Ang ating pong mga kababayan, every single Filipino has asked for an accounting of the biggest corruption scandal in our country in history involving not billions, not tens of billions, not hundreds of billions, but it involves trillions of pesos,&quot; he added.</p><p>He noted that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has been allocated around P1 trillion annually since 2023, with roughly one-third of the budget dedicated solely to flood control.</p><p>Comparing Tulfo&#x27;s fiery public service persona to his sudden call for patience, Cayetano added: &quot;Grabe ang init ng ulo mo pag sa programa mo sa TV at radyo. Dalawa-tatlong tao kausap mo. Problema ng mag-asawa. </p><p>&quot;Tama yun. Kasi those are real lives and real problems… Pero ito, problema ng buong Pilipinas. Sasabihan mo kami lahat. Relax ka lang.&quot;</p><p>Cayetano claimed the minority bloc&#x27;s probe, originally led by Senator Rodante Marcoleta, was systematically suppressed with legal charges and blockades once witnesses began speaking out.</p><p>He also warned against letting only Tulfo and Senator Panfilo Lacson run the investigation.</p><p>&quot;Hindi man pwedeng sa minority, hindi man pwede sa Senado, si Sen. Lacson at si Sen. Erwin Tulfo na lang ang siyang mamahala sa flood control (probe) tapos may pasahan sila ng bola sa DOJ at Ombudsman at pipiliin lang nila yung witnesses, pipiliin lang nila kung sinong gusto nilang ipakulong at hindi,&quot; Cayetano said.</p><p>Dismissing Tulfo&#x27;s claim that daily impeachment proceedings leave no time for hearings, Cayetano clarified that committee hearings can easily run on Thursdays and Fridays when Senate rooms are empty.</p><p>He ended by challenging Tulfo to take the stand himself.  </p><p>&quot;Senator Erwin Tulfo said there are no witnesses we can call. Let&#x27;s call him first. He has a lot of explaining to do himself,&quot; Cayetano said.</p><p>Cayetano on Thursday reportedly said he would support the National Bureau of Investigation&#x27;s (NBI) probe into the alleged procurement irregularities in the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games — but only if minority senators would be allowed to look into the flood control mess.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/16/wrap-speeches-slamming-sea-games-probe-nearly-upstage-oral-arguments-0016">WRAP: Speeches slamming SEA Games probe nearly upstage oral arguments</a></div><p>During Vice President Sara Duterte&#x27;s impeachment trial this week, Cayetano also claimed the NBI&#x27;s SEA Games probe was meant to &quot;intimidate&quot; him.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/16/-kayo-ba-ay-guilty-palace-defends-nbi-vs-cayetanos-intimidation-remark-1531">READ: Palace defends NBI after Cayetanos&#x27; &#x27;intimidation&#x27; remark</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="960" height="540" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3Z18UOLEJvA?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong></div>

<p>Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday slammed Senator Erwin Tulfo, rejecting the latter's advice to "relax" regarding the Senate's investigation into massive flood control projects.</p>

Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday slammed Senator Erwin Tulfo, rejecting the latter's advice to "relax" regarding the Senate's investigation into massive flood control projects.

Cayetano hits back at Erwin Tulfo over flood control probe: 'Do not tell us to relax'

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Cayetano hits back at Erwin Tulfo over flood control probe: 'Do not tell us to relax'

ABS-CBN News

Published July 18, 2026 07:01 AM PHT

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Alan Cayetano

Erwin Tulfo

flood control probe

blue ribbon committee

Philippine Senate

2019 SEA Games

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