Tulfo is new blue ribbon chairman after leadership reshuffle
Metro Manila, Philippines – Sen. Erwin Tulfo is the new blue ribbon committee chairman, replacing Sen. Pia Cayetano in leading the probe on the flood control corruption scandal. Tulfo was appointed on Wednesday, June 3, with other committee chairpersons just after Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian was elected Senate president pro tempore and concurrent acting president. Gatchalian had a solid 11-minority bloc vote plus Sen. Chiz Escudero, from the group of Cayetano, allowing a quorum to conduct business. Other senators snubbed the session for the third consecutive day. Sen. Tito Sotto then moved to declare all seats vacant – except for the Senate presidency. Here are the other committees and their new chairpersons: JV Ejercito – finance Tito Sotto – national defense Ping Lacson – public order and accounts Erwin Tulfo – accountability of public officers and investigations (blue ribbon), social welfare and development Raffy Tulfo – public services Bam Aquino -…
Cayetano, Padilla face obstruction of justice complaints for ‘helping’ Dela Rosa escape
Metro Manila, Philippines – Senator Alan Peter Cayetano and Senator Robin Padilla are facing complaints with the ombudsman for obstruction of justice for supposedly aiding fugitive senator Bato dela Rosa escape from the Senate premises while facing an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC). Civil society groups led by Tindig Pilipinas filed the complaint on Wednesday, June 3. Also named as respondent was suspended Senate Sergeant At Arms Mao Aplasca, who fired the first shot in a standoff with National Bureau of Investigation agents inside the Senate building, amid reports of Dela Rosa possibly getting arrested. Complainants said Cayetano should be held liable for giving protective custody to Dela Rosa and as supervising authority of Aplasca. “These were not passive acts. They were deliberate measures that shielded Dela Rosa from law enforcement officers who were serving the warrant and amounts to harboring, concealing, or facilitating escape,” the complaint…
Gatchalian is acting Senate president
Metro Manila, Philippines – Twelve senators elected Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian as president pro tempore replacing Alan Peter Cayetano, and concurrent acting Senate president on Wednesday, June 3. Gatchalian has a solid 11-minority bloc vote plus Sen. Chiz Escudero from the group of Cayetano, who appeared at the session hall. The rest snubbed the session for the third consecutive day. All positions – except the Senate presidency – were declared vacant and new committee chairpersons were named. Gatchalian explained why the leadership change was needed, and then adjourned the session until the last Monday of July for the State of the Nation Address. The Senate has been at an impasse since Monday, June 1, when Sen. Jinggoy Estrada was arrested for graft and plunder charges. The then majority bloc, in solidarity with Estrada, did not attend sessions until Wednesday. In a media briefing, Sen. Erwin Tulfo said at least 13 votes…
Sandiganbayan denies lifting Romualdez travel ban
Metro Manila, Philippines – The Sandiganbayan has denied the motion of Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez to lift his travel ban over his alleged involvement in the flood control scandal. In a resolution promulgated June 1, the anti-graft court’s seventh division denied the motion to lift the precautionary hold departure order for lack of merit, citing “several circumstances that reveal the intent of Rep. Romualdez to evade arrest and prosecution of crime against him.” READ: Anti-graft court bars Romualdez from leaving PH Based on the court resolution, Romualdez said he had a follow-up medical consultation in Singapore that could no longer be deferred for which he had sought travel authority. The graft court said that the lawmaker “failed to establish the necessity of his proposed travel abroad” as he had not submitted any supporting medical records or a confirmed schedule for the follow-up consultation. It said Romualdez had not presented evidence…
Former Speaker Romualdez, 18 ‘ex-Marines’ invited to June 4 Senate flood control probe
Metro Manila, Philippines – Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez and the 18 ex-Marines who allegedly delivered suitcases of cash have been invited to attend the ninth flood control hearing led by the Senate blue ribbon committee on Thursday, June 4. This follows earlier reports that the committee chaired by Senator Pia Cayetano withdrew its invite for the 18 ex-Marines, according to their legal counsel Levi Baligod. READ: Blue Ribbon committee withdraws invite for 18 ex-marines in flood control hearing – lawyer In their affidavit, the 18 soldiers said that they were bagmen who delivered ₱805 billion in cash as kickbacks to government officials under the orders of fugitive and expelled lawmaker Zaldy Co. Romualdez was alleged to be one of the lawmakers who received kickbacks. He early refuted the accusations and described them as “political and the product of coaching.” Meanwhile, the Senate panel invited officials from the Department of…
