Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday said recent moves to alter the leadership structure of the Senate validate repeated warnings from the majority that efforts were underway to seize control of key committees and derail the ongoing investigation into the alleged flood control scandal.
“We warned everyone about this from day one,” Cayetano said during a livestream addressing the developments inside the Senate.
According to Cayetano, the events that unfolded were not about improving Senate operations or breaking a legislative deadlock, but about preventing the continuation of hearings scheduled by the Blue Ribbon Committee.
“Sabi nila ginawa nila ito kasi naiipit ang trabaho. Pero wala naman po silang ginawa ngayon kung hindi baguhin ang mga committee para walang Blue Ribbon Committee hearing bukas, para hindi maimbitahan ang labing walong Marines. Pinalitan nila ang presiding officer,” Cayetano said.
He pointed out that the committee was set to continue its investigation and hear testimony from invited resource persons, including military personnel connected to matters under review.
“Invited po pati po y’ung mga gumawa ng illegal [coup d’etat] ngayon. ‘Pag hindi po kami pinapasok… ‘pag in-outside the kulambo niyo ang mga legitimate leaders ng Senado, para niyo na pong sinabing sinunog niyo po ang Philippine Constitution,” he said, addressing fellow senators.
Cayetano questioned why the first order of business of those pushing for leadership changes was to alter committee control rather than focus on legislation or the Senate’s pending responsibilities.
“So this is their answer to the crisis they made from May 11 till now? Ako’y nakikiusap sa lahat. Correct your mistakes. The country is already in an economic crisis,” he said.
The Senate President maintained that the flood control investigation must proceed, emphasizing that the Filipino people deserve answers regarding billions of pesos in public funds.
“We need to investigate the flood control scam in a very impartial way that will be satisfactory to all our people,” he said.
Cayetano warned that attempts to interfere with the investigation would only deepen public suspicion that powerful interests are seeking to avoid scrutiny.
“You can try to stop us, but you will be stopping the Filipino people,” he said.
Despite the controversy, Cayetano vowed that the investigation would continue and reiterated the majority’s commitment to pursuing accountability regardless of political pressure.
“They can try to remove me, but they will not kill the idea of a democratic Philippines led not by men but by laws, led by the Philippine Constitution,” he said.###