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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Senate mulling legal action vs Defensor for blue ribbon hearing announcement

Senate mulling legal action vs Defensor for blue ribbon hearing announcement

Published Jun 16, 2026 06:07 pm

At A Glance

  • The Senate is considering filing legal charges against former congressman Mike Defensor for announcing a supposed Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on flood control anomalies online despite having no authority.


The Senate is considering filing legal charges against former congressman Mike Defensor for announcing a supposed Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on flood control anomalies online despite having no authority.

Acting Senate President and Senate President Pro Tempore Sherwin Gatchalian pointed to Defensor’s use of the Senate blue ribbon committee to “fool” people into thinking it is an official hearing.

Defensor had earlier announced that the Senate bloc led by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano will hold its own flood control probe outside the chamber’s premises but no senator from this group made any confirmation.

Based on Defensor’s announcement, the alleged hearing was supposed to begin on Tuesday, 10 a.m. at the Doublegem EDSA Events Place, but the property management said the event to be held at their venue will no longer proceed as originally planned.

Doublegem also distanced itself from the organizers and or participants of the said event.

“Well, he's definitely fooling people. He's definitely creating confusion because of his post, it’s a blue ribbon hearing, (when) he's not (the) chairman. He's not a member, he's not a senator. Why is he fooling people?” Gatchalian pointed out during a press briefing at the Senate.

“So, we're talking to Senator Erwin (Tulfo) and we're also studying the legal action because he's fooling the people. That's not right. Because when he's fooling people and he's using the title of the Senate, that is fraudulent,” the senator explained.

Gatchalian said that while he had no idea why Defensor made such actions, the latter should be held accountable.

“I don't know why he did it. But definitely it is to confuse people. Because when people are fooled, they think it's official,” he said.

It was Tulfo whom the new Senate majority bloc had elected to be the head of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.

Tulfo replaced Sen. Pia Cayetano, who was chosen by the Cayetano bloc to lead the Blue Ribbon Committee after ousting then Senate president Vicente "Tito" Sotto III.

The Cayetano-led bloc then assigned Sen. Rodante Marcoleta to lead the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee hearing on anomalous flood control projects where the alleged 18 former soldiers claim to have delivered money in suitcases to various personalities including President Marcos, several lawmakers from the House and Senate and former officials.

Related Tags

Blue Ribbon hearing Mike Defensor SENATE flood control anomalies Sherwin Gatchalian Erwin Tulfo
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