As the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on the alleged flood control scandal proceeded on Thursday, June 4, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano and his allies insisted that a rival group of senators, or the new majority, had no authority to reorganize the committee's leadership.

Opening the hearing, Blue Ribbon Committee Chairperson Sen. Pia Cayetano declared that a session held the previous day by 12 senators was "invalid," arguing that the Senate Constitution and rules require a majority of all 24 senators, or 13 votes, to conduct business and elect officers.

"Yesterday, a session was purportedly held by 12 senators in which committee assignments were declared vacant and the chairmanship of this very committee was allegedly replaced. I stand before you today to state clearly and unequivocally that session was invalid," Cayetano said.

She maintained that the Blue Ribbon Committee retained its authority and defended her decision to create a subcommittee chaired by Sen. Rodante Marcoleta to continue the inquiry.

The hearing also opened amid claims that some invited resource persons and members of the media initially encountered difficulties entering the Senate premises.

Cayetano personally escorted some guests into the building after receiving reports that they were being stopped.

Marcoleta, who presided over the Blue Ribbon subcommittee hearing, criticized the absence of several invited officials and personalities, including former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, representatives of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and the Office of the Ombudsman.

"Ang ibig sabihin nito ay mukhang ayaw nilang igalang ang patawag ng komiteng ito (It means they seem unwilling to respect the summons of this committee)," Marcoleta said.

The senator accused unnamed officials of attempting to suppress the investigation into the alleged flood-control scandal, which he described as one of the largest alleged corruption scandals in Philippine history.

Marcoleta also criticized senators aligned with the opposing bloc, saying none had pushed to continue the inquiry over the past several months.

During his remarks, Marcoleta claimed that the DPWH had submitted a referral report to the Ombudsman in 2025 concerning allegations linked to Romualdez and questioned why no case had yet been filed before the Sandiganbayan.

He further alleged that efforts to stop the hearing were intended to prevent further scrutiny of the flood control controversy.

For his part, Senator Alan defended the hearing's legality and cited provisions of the Revised Penal Code that penalize acts that prevent or disrupt meetings of Congress and its committees.

Cayetano argued that no valid Senate reorganization had occurred because no replacement officers had been elected by the constitutionally required majority vote of all Senate members.

"The officers of the Senate shall be elected by a majority vote of all its members. All its members, 13 po ang kailangan (13 are needed)," he said.

He maintained that incumbent Senate officers, including himself as Senate president and Sen. Loren Legarda as Senate president pro tempore, remain in their positions until valid successors are elected.

"So ladies and gentlemen, we will continue to function," Cayetano said.