Alan Peter Cayetano warns 18 'ex-Marines' vs attending Gatchalian bloc probe

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano has warned the 18 alleged former Marines against attending the flood control scandal probe being conducted by a faction of the Blue Ribbon Committee led by Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian on Monday, June 8, saying the hearing is not authorized.

Cayetano issued the statement in response to Atty. Levito Baligod, counsel of the 18 individuals who were also invited to the Monday hearing.

“We must clarify, however, that the hearing purportedly set for 08 June 2026 was not authorized by this Office, by Senator Pia S. Cayetano as Committee Chairperson, or by Senator Rodante D. Marcoleta as Subcommittee Chairperson," he said.

"None of these offices scheduled such a hearing or authorized Director Josephine D.G. Herrera to issue any invitation in connection with it. The notice you received did not come from any of them,” the senator said in a June 6 letter addressed to Baligod.

Cayetano said that only authorized offices may issue official notices and invitations for committee hearings.

“For the guidance of all concerned: invitations to committee hearings may issue only from the Office of Senator Pia S. Cayetano, the Office of Senator Rodante D. Marcoleta, or the Committee Secretariat acting under their direction," he said.

"These remain the sole authorized sources of all official notices, invitations, and scheduling for the committee and its subcommittee,” Cayetano added.

The Senate leadership shakeup on Wednesday led to the installation of Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian as Senate President Pro Tempore and acting Senate President.

New committee chairmanships were also named, with Sen. Erwin Tulfo designated to lead the Blue Ribbon Committee.

Despite the changes, the Cayetano bloc proceeded with its own hearing on the flood control controversy on June 4, with Sen. Pia Cayetano presiding over the Blue Ribbon Committee.

The 18 individuals, who presented themselves as former Marines, attended the June 4 hearing.

There, they alleged they had delivered cash-filled suitcases from former lawmaker Zaldy Co to several officials, including President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Senators Vicente “Tito” Sotto III and Erwin Tulfo, Rep. Leila de Lima, and former Rep. France Castro, among others.

The same 18 individuals were also invited to attend the June 8 hearing organized by the Gatchalian faction.

However, Cayetano warned that if they attend the hearing, they cannot be assured of the procedural safeguards and protections accorded to witnesses in properly constituted Senate proceedings.

“Recent threats of arrest directed at participants, and the involvement of various government agencies in matters touching these testimonies, have raised legitimate concern for the treatment of witnesses and for an atmosphere fit for the search for truth," he said.

"We therefore urge all concerned to exercise prudence and to verify the source and authority of any invitation purporting to compel their appearance,” Cayetano added.

Gatchalian earlier said the Senate does not recognize the statements made by the 18 individuals in the previous hearing, stressing that the gathering should not be treated as an official Senate proceeding covered by parliamentary immunity.—MCG, GMA News