Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday challenged senators to fight for the country by upholding truth and accountability over personal interests in addressing corruption and other pressing national issues.
“I challenge all senators, both from the Minority and Majority, what’s more important to us? Position? Huwag mabanggit ang pangalan natin? Huwag tayong makasuhan? Na malapit tayo sa admin? Sa 2028 may ambition? If you say you love the country, then why not fight for it?” Cayetano said in a Facebook livestream on June 2, 2026.
He said amid political tensions, the Senate must remain focused on uncovering the truth rather than serving as a tool to conceal it.
“Kailangan pong tingnan ang nangyayari sa Senado sa mas malaking konteksto ng katotohanan. Gusto ba natin na ang Senado ay gamitin para ilabas ang totoo, o ito ay [maging] kasangakapan para itago ang totoo? Is the Senate for truth or not?” he said.
Cayetano made these remarks following the successive events in the Senate that show steep political division and undermine the Senate’s independence.
According to him, these stemmed from the incomplete Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearings on the flood control scam followed by the May 11 leadership reshuffle and the chamber’s handling of the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte.
He then urged his colleagues to look beyond divisions within the chamber and focus instead on confronting corruption and establishing the truth.
“Ano ba ang truth sa lahat ng ito? Ang korapsyon sa ating bansa ay hindi mabibigyan ng lunas kung walang pagbabago at kung hindi tayo magsisimula sa katotohanan,” he said.
The Senate President underscored the importance of continuing the probe into the flood control scam, saying the Senate must be allowed to carry out its oversight functions without interference.
“What’s important for me is that we don’t have a puppet or dependent Senate. And that on Thursday (June 4), matuloy ang Blue Ribbon hearing at tumuloy-tuloy ang [trabaho ng] ibang committee,” he stressed.
“Sabi ko naman sa inyo, pumili tayo ng 13. I’m ready to go (as SP) anytime, anyday. Ang pakiusap ko lang, let the 13 fight for the truth so that the truth can finally set all Filipinos free,” he added. ###
