Cayetano bloc defies new majority, holds hearing ~ HUMAN RIGHTS PROMOTIONS

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Cayetano bloc defies new majority, holds hearing

MANILA, Philippines — Defying objections from senators aligned with the newly constituted leadership of the Senate blue ribbon committee, the bloc led by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano on Thursday proceeded with a hearing on the public works corruption scandal and heard testimony from 18 alleged former Marines who claimed they had delivered cash to lawmakers and other public figures on behalf of former Rep. Zaldy Co.

The hearing pushed through at the Senate session hall despite assertions from Sen. Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian and blue ribbon committee chair Sen. Erwin Tulfo that no official hearing was scheduled.

Sen. Pia Cayetano initially presided over the proceedings but later designated Sen. Rodante Marcoleta to chair the hearing. Also present were Senators Alan Peter Cayetano, Robinhood Padilla, and Imee Marcos.

Sen. Loren Legarda also appeared but later left to attend a separate hearing.

The hearing took place a day after Tulfo was elected chair of the blue ribbon committee and after the panel announced the postponement of its scheduled inquiry to June 8.

Before the hearing, Gatchalian maintained that no committee proceedings would take place on Thursday and that resource persons should not be allowed into the session hall.

“This is the office of the senators so it is only right that they be allowed to enter,” he told reporters. However, he added that resource persons would not be permitted because “there is no hearing.”

Gatchalian rejected suggestions that the postponement was intended to stop the investigation.

“There is no attempt. The blue ribbon hearing will continue. Sen. Erwin Tulfo will continue it,” he said, noting that Tulfo needed time to familiarize himself with the evidence after his recent appointment as chair.

The dispute came as the 18 alleged former Marines were invited to appear before a separate blue ribbon committee hearing scheduled on June 8 under Tulfo’s leadership. The witnesses were asked to submit notarized affidavits detailing their alleged roles as Co’s “bagmen” and the cash deliveries they claimed to have carried out.

The Cayetano bloc has maintained that the Senate reorganization that installed Tulfo as committee chair was invalid. On Thursday, its members pushed ahead with their own inquiry, with Pia Cayetano ordering the hearing and Marcoleta presiding over the proceedings.

Despite those objections, the Cayetano bloc proceeded with the inquiry and received testimony from the 18 alleged former Marines, who appeared alongside their legal counsel, lawyer Levi Baligod.

The group identified themselves as former “bagmen” of Co, who is facing graft and malversation charges in connection with alleged anomalous flood control projects in Oriental Mindoro. Co has denied wrongdoing and has previously accused President Marcos and former Speaker Martin Romualdez of orchestrating alleged P100-billion budget insertions for flood control projects in the 2025 national budget.

Bagmen testify

Representing Co at the hearing was his lawyer, Ruy Rondain. Co remains at large and, according to Malacañang, has sought asylum in France. Co chaired the powerful House committee on appropriations from July 2022 until he was unceremoniously removed and replaced in January 2025. He oversaw the passage of the 2023, 2024, and 2025 national budgets.

During the hearing, several members of the 18 alleged ex-Marines repeated allegations contained in their affidavits, claiming they delivered luggage and bags containing cash to politicians and other personalities.

Former military officer Belnard Tube alleged that he and fellow operatives delivered two pieces of luggage containing between P40 million and P70 million each to a building in Baclaran associated with former Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III. Tube, however, acknowledged that he did not personally see Sotto receive the money.

Another witness, Bernard Gumban, claimed he delivered luggage twice to a residence in Greenhills that he was told belonged to Sen. Erwin Tulfo.

“I delivered to Erwin Tulfo twice, the first time two small suitcases, the second time six,” he said, adding that the small luggage could fit P20 million to P25 million while the medium-sized luggage could fit up to P60 million. The suitcases had Post It labels indicating the amounts contained.

Gumban testified that another person identified as “Marc Ticsay” informed him that the property belonged to Tulfo. He likewise did not testify to having personally seen the senator receive any money.

Both Tulfo and Sotto have previously denied the allegations made by the witnesses.

The witnesses also alleged that cash deliveries were made to Romualdez beginning in September 2022.

Tube further claimed that during a trip to Paoay, Ilocos Norte, in 2022, he accompanied Co and saw President Marcos, Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos, first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Romualdez.

Cash in paper bags

The witnesses additionally named several current and former lawmakers and political figures whom they alleged had received money from Co or his associates, including Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon, Mamamayang Liberal Rep. Leila de Lima, ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio, former party-list lawmakers Raoul Manuel, France Castro and Arlene Brosas, and former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV.

According to the witnesses, some of these individuals allegedly received cash in paper bags or luggage. In particular, they said that Manuel and De Lima frequently visited Co’s offices and left carrying money in paper bags.

Trillanes was also accused of receiving paper bags with P5 million to P10 million in cash and six pieces of luggage.

Baligod also claimed the existence of a group chat involving Co and the alleged bagmen that supposedly contained confirmations of certain cash deliveries, including those allegedly made to Castro, Brosas, and Tinio.

Another witness, Joely Cadiao, testified that he delivered luggage to Ridon in Quezon City and an envelope containing cash to anti-drug war advocate Fr. Flavie Villanueva.

No documentary evidence was presented during the hearing to independently corroborate the allegations, and several of the personalities named by the witnesses have previously denied wrongdoing. /cb /atm