Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday night strictly directed Senate officials to keep the Senate premises open on June 4 for the scheduled Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on the flood control scam.
Cayetano made the *initial* instruction through an online broadcast *on June 3, 2026* following what he described as an illegitimate coup d’etat carried out by 12 senators, who installed Senator Win Gatchalian as Senate President Pro Tempore.
*Later in the evening, he released a memorandum addressed to all Senate officials and personnel reminding them of his authority to conduct business and proceed with scheduled committee hearings during the sine die adjournment.*
“I’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,” Cayetano said, particularly directing Acting SAA Manuel Parlade and Senate Secretary Atty. Jose Montales.*
Cayetano had announced on May 29 that the Blue Ribbon Committee will continue the high-profile investigation into the flood control scam.
Chaired by Senator Pia Cayetano, the committee had issued invitations to former House Speaker and Leyte First District Rep. Martin Romualdez, the 18 former Marines said to have corroborated earlier testimony before the panel, retired Sergeant Orly Guteza, and other agency representatives.
Following the Gatchalian group’s illegal takeover *followed by the replacement of the Senate Secretary, SAA, and the declaration of leadership vacancy in all committees – all of which he called unlawful* – Cayetano warned Senate officials against restricting access to the Senate complex.
“Do not padlock the Senate. Do not have an excuse na may rally. Parati namang may rally sa Senado. Do not tempt the Filipino people to come out in thousands, hundreds of thousands, and millions… I will go to the Senate before 10 o’clock. I will do what I can to open the session hall and our hearings will be there,” he told the Senate officials.
He added that the public should be even more interested in the testimony of the 18 former Marines in light of the events, noting that Senator Erwin Tulfo — whom the Marines identified as among those who received kickbacks from flood control projects — had been installed as committee chairperson.
“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,” he said, asserting that the magic number for quorum and legitimate motions is thirteen.
Cayetano also addressed Senate employees and urged them to speak out against the illegal takeover.
“I believe that all of you love the Senate. So, it’s time to speak up, to tell your bosses – whether sila y’ung nasa Majority o Minority – that we won’t stand for this (illegal coup),” he said.
“Because, there’s no difference of padlocking the Senate during Martial Law sa ginagawa nila ngayon na pinupunit, binubura, binabasura, at sinusunog ang ating Philippine Constitution,” he added.