Alan Cayetano: Some majority senators have option to present evidence of threats

Senate President Allan Peter Cayetano on Friday said that some members of the majority have the option to release evidence of threats they received from the administration to force them to defect to the minority to form a new majority and leadership.

According to Sandra Aguinaldo's report on "24 Oras," Cayetano accused Malacañang of threatening his allies in the majority.

"Wala kaming problema kung sa korte ay patunayan na sila ay guilty o hindi. Ang problema po namin yung gagamitin yung threat na pag lumipat ka dito, wala ka nang kaso. ‘Pag diyan ka, tutuluyan ka namin," Cayetano said.

"In the next few days, option po ng mga senador na maglabas ng ebidensya ng pananakot para hindi namin mabuo yung independent na Senate," he added.

Cayatno described the present Senate majority as the "first truly independent majority," again denying criticisms that the Senate under his watch has been without order.

“Paulit-ulit sinasabing magulo ang Senate— hindi po. In this administration since 2022, it’s the first time po na nagkaroon ng majority at Senate president… na wala pong kamay ang Malacañang sa pagpili ng Senate president at ng mga komite.” Cayetano said in his Facebook live on Friday.

“And so I can dare say that this is the first fully independent majority,” he added.

In Tokyo, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. was asked about Sen. Rodante Marcoleta's statement that the present Senate leadership was the only one without his blessing.

"Malacañang does not give a rubber stamp to the Senate President. The Senate President is decided by the senators themselves," Marcos said.

"Is he implying that somehow I choose the Senate President? Ask me as a former senator, and I will laugh in your face,” he added.

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, a member of the majority, has been charged with plunder and graft over P573 million in alleged illegal insertions, allocations, and kickbacks.

He posted a P90,000 bail for the graft case.

The Ombudsman has said acting majority leader Sen. Joel Villanueva will be the next to be charged in court.

Senators Francis Escudero and Rodante Marcoleta are also facing complaints for alleged plunder.

All have issued statements denying the allegations that they committed the crimes.

According to Cayetano, in a democracy, the independence of the judiciary and the legislative branch from the executive is observed to ensure fair checks and balances in the government.

If there’s someone to blame for the recent commotions in the Senate, Cayetano said it should be the senators or groups who are ‘not comfortable with having an independent Senate.’

“Kaya, whether you talk about the 11, yung onse, or you talk about supporters nila, when you talk about some elements in the national government like the NBI, for example, sila po ang nanggugulo because hindi sila komportable na independent ang senado,” Cayetano said.

Cayetano also pointed out in his social media live the walkout of minority senators last Tuesday, which he said was not necessary because they are not even voting for the adoption of the motion yet.

“Let me clarify, ha, hindi pa namin pinagbobotohan yung amendment na papayag po sa teleconferencing or online na ang boboto. Wala pa po kami doon. Ang pinagbobotohan po ay whether or not pag-uusapan ito,” Cayetano said.

Senate flood control probe resumes

Cayetano has announced that the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s hearings on the flood control controversy are set to resume on Thursday, June 4.

This is one day before the 20th Congress adjourns sine die on June 5, 2026.

According to presidential sister Senator Imee Marcos, the administration’s intention with the majority bloc is ‘obvious,’ even now that the President is “lambasting the Senate and meddling with the online voting issue.”

“It seems the intent is to paralyze us because they are afraid of what a real blue ribbon investigation will reveal. They want to render us powerless so that the Senate will become a rubber stamp for their plans,” Marcos said in a message.

Marcos added that recent developments are current incursions in the constitutional boundaries between the legislative branch and the executive branch. –Lyjah Tiffany Bonzo/NB, GMA News