Senator Erwin Tulfo has issued a stern warning to 18 former Marines, lawyer Levito Baligod, and former Anakalusugan Party-list Representative Mike Defensor, stating they could face contempt charges if they snub the upcoming Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on June 8.
In a radio interview, Tulfo confirmed that formal invitations had already been dispatched to the resource persons, emphasizing that their attendance is crucial to the panel’s official investigation.
“Kailangan po nilang mag-attend dahil kung hindi sila po ay baka ma-issue ng contempt,” said Tulfo, who chairs the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.
The senator pointed out that Monday’s session will stand as the committee’s first official and properly documented hearing, drawing a sharp contrast between it and the gathering held by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano’s faction on Thursday.
Tulfo argued that the June 4 assembly could not be classified as a legitimate legislative hearing because it lacked the presence of the Blue Ribbon Committee Secretariat, official court stenographers, and staff from the Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau.
“Hindi maitatawag na hearing kasi talakayan lang ‘yon, press briefing, forum, definitely hindi hearing ‘yon,” he said.
Furthermore, Tulfo asserted that any oaths administered during Thursday’s unofficial gathering would not be legally recognized. Consequently, witnesses will be required to take a new oath and repeat their testimonies during the June 8 proceeding.
“Ito [June 8] recorded po ito. Magagamit po ito sa korte,” he said.
High-ranking representatives from the Department of Justice (DOJ), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the Office of the Ombudsman have also been summoned to attend the inquiry.
Tulfo noted that the committee aims to conclude its investigation within a few sessions before endorsing its official findings to the Ombudsman for proper legal evaluation.
“Oo nag-iimbestiga kami dahil ang sinasabi doon public accountability ng mga government officials. Tama po iyon,” he said.
However, the lawmaker clarified that the Senate’s role is strictly limited to legislative oversight and does not include establishing criminal guilt.
“Pero yung pag-imbestiga, mag-prosecute na ikaw may kasalanan, ikaw ay ganito, ikaw ay nagkasala sa ganyan, hindi po, ombudsman po yun ang mag-determine noon at saka niya iakyat sa Sandiganbayan,” Tulfo added.
In addition to the main inquiry, the panel chief announced plans to question officials from the Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms regarding how the rival political bloc gained unauthorized entry into the Senate plenary hall, bypassing security restrictions set by the current leadership.
Expressing deep concern over the apparent security breach, Tulfo warned that the lapse indicates dangerous vulnerabilities within the legislative complex.
“Kailangan natin ma-review ngayon dahil nakakatakot, 22 senators ang nagoopisina roon paano kung lusubin kami ng armadong grupo? Malulusutan sila basta,” Tulfo said.
Despite the ongoing friction, Tulfo mentioned that Senate leaders advised their colleagues to let the Cayetano-led group proceed with their forum, maintaining that their undocumented statements carry no substantial weight in court.
To ensure transparency, all members of the Senate have been invited to join Monday’s hearing after the committee expanded its membership to include more lawmakers.