Less than a week after I wrote my last column, “Indignation in the Streets, Coup in the Senate!”, shortly after 3:00 pm on Wednesday, June 3, former Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero broke his boycott of the Senate Plenary Sessions and walked into the Senate Session Hall. By leaving the Cawatano 13 ( - 2 Bato and Jinggoy) = 11, and joining the Minority 11, he created a New Majority of 12.
However, since he came alone, the New Majority failed to reach the 13 votes needed to elect a new Senate President. Under the mathematics of 24 Senators minus the wanted and in hiding Bato (since Thursday, May 14) and the newly arrested Jinggoy (Monday, June 1) leaving 22 Senators divided by 2 plus 1 equals 12 for a quorum and a new majority.
Since the Cawatano majority had boycotted the Senate Plenary Sessions for three days (Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday/June 1 – 3), the new majority of 12 called the session to order and declared all positions vacant. They elected Senator Wyn Gatchalian as Senate President Pro Tempore, a new Senate Secretary, a new Sergeant at Arms and 10 Committee Chairmen, including Senator Irwin Tulfo as chairman of the Blue Ribbon Committee. Gatchalian assumed the position of Acting Senate President and after a brief plenary session where they approved several resolutions, the Senate adjourned sine die and informed both the House of Representatives (HoR) and the President of that fact.
Newly elected Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman Erwin Tulfo postponed the Pia Cayetano created and scheduled Thursday, June 4, Blue Ribbon Subcommittee hearing (with Committee Vice Chairman Markoleta presiding). He declared the subcommittee non - existent, set a committee hearing for 9:00 am, Monday, June 8, and said that he would review the list of resource persons.
Senators Alan, Pia, Rodante, Imee and Robinhood pushed through with their Subcommittee hearing shortly after 9:00 am on Thursday, June 4. Among the invited resource persons, only the eighteen - so - called Marines and their counsel, Atty. Leviton Baligod arrived. In addition, the counsel of former Congressman Zaldy Co showed up.
However, the staff of the committee were working from home and none appeared at rhe plenary hall venue. There was no record of the hearing. It was not aired on the official Senate You Tube channel. What they had was lunch from the Senate lounge. The rump hearing lasted for about four hours and the former Marines testified that they delivered money in “maletas”, “supots” or envelopes to venues and agents of the following: President Ferdinand “Bong Bong” Romualdez Marcos, former Speaker Martin Romualdez, former Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto, Senators Loren Legarda, Erwin Tulfo, HoR Majority Floor Leader Sandro Marcos, HoR Committee on Justice Chair Luistro, Progressive Party List Congressmen Terry Ridon, Arlene Brosas, Franz Castro, Palawan 2nd District Congressman Jose “Pepito” Alvarez, Benny Abante, Ace Barbers, Garin.
Most of those alleged to have received maletas of cash belong to the anti - Sara bloc. One exception is Loren Legarda. Perhaps, the scriptwriter got confused as to her loyalty since she used to belong to the Sotto 13. Prior to the May 11 Cawatano coup, the then brewing coup had Loren as the would be Senate President but it failed to get 13 votes.
Today, Monday, June 8, 2026, Senator Erwin Tulfo scheduled a 9:00 am hearing of the Blue Ribbon Committee to which a long list of resource persons including the 18 ex Marines have been invited. Will they appear or will they vanish into thin air like T/Sgt. Orly Guteza did a few months ago?
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