Senate power struggle intensifies as Gatchalian, Cayetano blocs clash over leadership control — ANC

[0:00] The power struggle continues at the Senate, with two blocks clashing over control of the upper [0:05] chamber's leadership. What began as a shake-up Wednesday has now spilled into a test of authority. [0:11] Senator Sherwin Gachalian, who was elected Senate President pro tempore, insisted earlier that there [0:17] would be no Blue Ribbon Committee hearing today. And despite that announcement, the hearing on the [0:21] flood control mess pushed through anyway, under the leadership of Senator Pia Cayetano. Senator [0:27] Allen, Peter Cayetano, continues to defy the new leadership, maintaining he remains the [0:32] legitimate Senate President, and that his allies still control key committees, including the [0:38] powerful Blue Ribbon Panel. [0:43] Julie elected ng majority. Of course, si Secretary Ray Bantug, ang Julie elected secretary natin, [0:49] ang ating sergeant at arms, si General Corpus, and of course, yours truly, bilang the Esprit pro tempore. [0:56] Ako, hindi ako mahilig sa mga padlak-padlak. Basta sundan lang yung protocol. So, ibig sabihin, [1:05] may mga protocols tayo for security. For example, kung walang hearing, di walang resource [1:11] persons. So, wala rin mga arrangements kung walang hearing. Kasi wala naman officially hearing [1:20] today. [1:20] This is not against the administration. This is not for the administration. This is not for any [1:27] political party. I ran in 2022 as an independent. I became Senate President with 13 people with [1:35] different political belief. This is about the truth. The legitimate Senate President pro tempore [1:42] is Lauren Legarda. Our Senate Secretary is Jose Luis Montales. Sabi po sa Section 4C, pwedeng magkaroon [1:52] ng acting if, in the event of resignation, hindi po ako nag-resign. In the event of removal, [1:59] tinanong ko sa mga kapatid natin sa media kahapon, did they remove us yesterday? You need a vote [2:04] of 13 to remove us. Am I dead? Death? I don't think I'm dead. Absolute incapacity of the President. [2:16] Siguro naman po, I'm in control of my faculties. [2:19] President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. are being dragged into corruption allegations made by individuals [2:30] who claim to be former Marines. During today's Senate flood control probe, the 18 Marines reiterated [2:36] their claims they delivered suitcases of cash, ranging from 20 million to 70 million pesos to several [2:43] officials in various tranches. The list includes former House Speaker Martin Romualdez and fugitive [2:50] former Congressman Zaldico, na some of them are also claiming cash was delivered to the President [2:55] in his bailiwick, Ilocos Norte. Senate President Vicente will make that former Senate President [3:07] Vicente's onto the third and other lawmakers also dragged into the controversy by the self-proclaimed [3:12] former Marines. [3:47] They arrived. [3:49] Now, the area was okay. [3:51] We were able to recover. [3:53] When they came back, I was guiding them to the bottom. [3:56] There was a basement on the side. [4:00] Now, the limo of the boss was dropped off. [4:04] They were on the front door. [4:10] And they had an elevator. [4:12] The other one that I brought, [4:16] they were brought to me, [4:18] I took the two. [4:20] I took the two. [4:22] I took the elevator. [4:24] Then, the rest of the other stuff, [4:26] they didn't have to go. [4:28] It was the first one. [4:30] What did you deliver? [4:33] Pera? [4:35] Do you know how much? [4:38] Large and large. [4:40] Large, usually the food is? [4:42] 40 to 70. [4:44] So, how did you deliver? [4:46] 40 to 70. [4:48] Isang-isang maleta lang. [4:50] Lima po, lima. [4:51] Year 2024 po. [4:54] Bago ma... [4:55] Campaign period. [4:56] Yes po. [4:57] Okay. [5:02] Well, joining us on the program, [5:03] Senator Vicente Soto III himself. [5:05] Senator Soto, good afternoon to you. [5:07] Thanks for joining us today. [5:08] Welcome to the program. [5:11] Hi, Carmina. [5:12] Good afternoon. [5:13] Thank you. [5:14] Thank you for having me. [5:15] Now, Senator Soto, [5:16] we were supposed to be talking about [5:17] completely another topic, [5:19] and that's, you know, [5:20] what had transpired in the past days. [5:22] We're going to talk about that also in a bit. [5:24] But first, the fresh allegations now, [5:26] coming from this ex-Marine, [5:28] saying that you received money [5:30] from either Zaldico, Romualdez, [5:33] or even the palace. [5:34] Did you receive any money [5:36] from former Congressman Zaldico? [5:39] No. [5:40] I definitely would like to address that statement [5:44] because I heard it earlier, [5:46] and my staff started writing down [5:49] what they were saying. [5:50] And I'm glad we will be able to tackle that [5:55] so that we can set it aside [5:58] and put it in the trash can. [6:00] First of all, if you're talking of 2024, [6:03] I was not a government official in 2024. [6:06] Campaign period, 2024? [6:09] No. [6:10] 2025 is a campaign period. [6:13] So, really, that came out a long time ago, [6:18] but I didn't want to dignify the bogus statement [6:22] and the bogus hearing, [6:24] which is happening right now. [6:25] It's completely illegal. [6:27] But then again, [6:29] if people are asking, [6:31] if you're asking, [6:33] let's answer closely what they said. [6:38] They said a limousine of Zaldico [6:40] entered the basement of my building. [6:43] First of all, I do not have a building. [6:45] We have a PR office in a building near Baclara. [6:50] That's one. [6:51] Two, a limo will not fit in the basement of that building. [7:00] Right. [7:01] And then they mentioned something like my EA, [7:06] a certain Mark. [7:07] I only have one Mark. [7:10] Mark Rosales, [7:12] who died in 2015. [7:14] So, they're talking of 2024. [7:16] They might have seen a ghost, [7:18] if they were really there. [7:20] And then they said a security, [7:24] a security officer of Senator Soto. [7:27] I never had any security, [7:29] from 1992 to the present. [7:31] So, and I was not even a senator in 2024. [7:36] Baka nakalimutan nila, siguro, [7:38] sa paggawa nila no, [7:42] what do you call that? [7:44] But, yeah, Senator Soto, [7:46] you did run in the midterm elections, correct? [7:49] I did run in the 2025. [7:53] Yes. [7:54] Midterm elections. [7:55] So, could this possibly... [7:58] In 2022, my term ended. [8:01] Yes. [8:02] Could this possibly be, you know, [8:05] something that, I don't know, [8:08] to fund your campaign for 2025? [8:11] We were not even sure of running for 2025, [8:17] around 2024, [8:19] even during the last two, three months of 2024. [8:22] Okay. [8:23] So, and why? [8:24] Why? [8:25] Why would I be given... [8:27] Why would I be given flood control... [8:30] I think it's flood control money [8:32] they're talking about. [8:33] Why will I be given flood control money [8:37] for campaign... [8:38] Well, I'm not in... [8:41] I'm not in office, number one. [8:43] Second, yung sinasabi what? [8:45] 40 to 70 million daw? [8:47] Limong maleta? [8:48] Mm-hmm. [8:49] I have yet to see a suitcase [8:51] where 40 million will fit. [8:53] All right. [8:56] So, let's go down... [8:58] Let's go down the names. [9:00] Did you ever receive any money [9:01] from former House Speaker... [9:03] former House Speaker Martin Romualdez? [9:05] No. [9:06] Never. [9:07] Did you ever receive money [9:08] from the palace, Senator Soto? [9:10] Never. [9:11] Never. [9:12] Do... [9:15] All the money I spent [9:17] for the 2025 elections [9:19] are in my associate, [9:21] in my statements of contributions [9:24] and expenditures. [9:26] It's all there, [9:27] including the personal money [9:29] that I spent. [9:30] Okay. [9:31] Let's go back. [9:32] I think you should... [9:33] I think we should just [9:34] throw it in the wastebasket. [9:36] You know? [9:37] Kasi... [9:38] Anong... [9:39] Anong... [9:40] Anong... [9:41] Pagpaligay natin may dinala sila sa akin, no? [9:44] But I'm saying it's not true. [9:46] But if indeed they sent money to me, [9:50] so what did I violate? [9:52] I was a private citizen. [9:56] I'm not a senator. [9:57] I'm not a congressman. [9:59] Unlike somebody who's claiming all these things, [10:02] but he's the one who accepted during that time [10:04] that he was a legislator. [10:06] But maybe it was an advance payment for something that... [10:09] Opo. [10:10] Pero... [10:11] Let's disabuse the minds of those who might believe, no? [10:15] So even if you're saying that... [10:17] Okay, for the sake of argument, it's true. [10:19] What law did you violate? [10:21] But it could also be seen as an advance payment for something that you could do that would be beneficial to them in the long run once you win. [10:32] Then the people who will say that do not know me. [10:35] You can ask some businessmen who have dealt with some committee hearings in the Senate. [10:44] It is a very known fact that Senator Lakson and I do not accept any bribes or do not accept any contributions. [10:54] We know that it comes from illegitimate sources. [10:58] It has been proven many, many times. [11:01] So, alam nila yan. [11:03] Talagin nyo yung mga negosyante eh. [11:04] Sila nakakahalam nyan. [11:05] Especially the big businessmen. [11:07] Pagdating sa ganyan. [11:10] So, what for? [11:12] Anong pabor ang kihingin sa akin sa 2025? [11:15] Ang titigas ng ulo namin. [11:17] Ang hirap namin kausap pagdating sa pera. [11:19] Anong mapapala nila sa amin? [11:22] It's foolish. [11:23] As I said, you know, we should throw it in the West Biscuit of history. [11:27] Yung claim nilang yan. [11:28] Matagal nang sinasabi yan some time ago. [11:31] Ang maganda ka. [11:33] Dapat tinanong nila. [11:34] Kailan? [11:35] Anong day? [11:36] Anong year? [11:37] Remember, there was sometime many years ago. [11:40] Nung meron nagsasabi na meron daw dinala sa akin na ganito, ganyan, ganyan. [11:46] Ang una namin tinanong eh. [11:48] What day and what time? [11:50] Nung nagbigay sila ng day and time, nasa stage ako. [11:54] Kaya ano, madaling nga yan. [11:57] Madaling talagang. [11:58] As I said, you should put it in the wayside that nakakahiya. [12:03] Nakakahiya ang pag-usapan niya. [12:05] Nakakahiya ang mga claim yan. [12:06] Dahil ikang ay... [12:08] Ang mapigat dito, [12:12] it comes from a bogus hearing. [12:14] As I said, that's not a hearing. [12:16] You know? [12:17] That is a meeting. [12:18] Before we... [12:19] Illegal. [12:20] Illegitimate. [12:21] Yeah. [12:22] Before we continue on with that, I just want to raise one more point. [12:26] Because hindi lang po ang pangalan ninyo ang nabanggit dun sa kung anong nakikita natin ngayon in our inset. [12:31] Pati pangalan po ng inyong matalik na kaibigan si Sen. Panfilo Lacson. [12:35] And the names came from no one else but Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano. [12:42] Siya po ang nagpag... [12:44] Ang sinabi niya... [12:46] Alam naman... [12:47] This is not verbatim. [12:49] But alam naman natin na yung dating Sen. Blue Ribbon Committee Chair na si Sen. Panfilo Lacson at si Sen. Tito Soto ay mag-partners yan sa kanilang... [13:00] Kumbaga mag-alay po kayo. [13:02] This is shortly after your name was mentioned. [13:04] So what would you make of that innuendo, that insinuation bringing Sen. Panfilo Lacson also into the conversation? [13:13] Pero hindi naman din nasundan ng kung ano pang substantial statements coming from Sen. Cayetano. [13:19] Only that he brought up the name of your good friend Sen. Panfilo Lacson as well. [13:24] Do you see? [13:26] Napakasama ng mga insinuation na gano'n. [13:29] I think they're clutching to straws at this point. [13:34] Yung mga huling hininga na natalo ka. [13:39] Ika nga eh... [13:41] Ang sinasabi nga natin is the country needs work and statesmanship. [13:47] Pagkatapos hindi kami sinisipot ng ilang araw. [13:50] Pagkatapos eh yung pala. [13:52] Ang dahilan talaga is ayaw mapalitan sapagkat sampun na lang sila. [13:56] Diba? Eleven akala nila yung pala sampun na sila. [13:59] Disgruntled na yung ibang mga kasama nila. [14:02] Sabi nga ni Sen. Scudero, it's an untenable animal. [14:08] Sabi ni Sen. Scudero. [14:10] His move was not about loyalty. [14:13] It was not about betrayal. [14:15] It was not choosing one group from the other. [14:19] He said it is about duty. [14:21] So, at this point, diba? [14:24] Nagtatrabaho tayo dapat eh. [14:26] I think the way people have seen how Senator Charvin handled the budget and I have been Senate President again the third time for that. [14:42] Ang kailangan namin, statementship, hindi showmanship. [14:45] Eh yung mga ganyang mga insinuation, mga ganyang salita pa. [14:48] Obviously, sour gripping. [14:53] Ayan ang masasabi ko. [14:56] February 2026 pa yung mga sinasabi nilang apidapit na yan, wala namang bago, may mga corrections lang. [15:02] Pagka nakita kasi na may mistake, nung una, sinasama si Sen. De Lima. [15:07] So, Sen. De Lima, anong mapapala nila? [15:12] Katulad na sa akin, anong mapapala nila na bigyan kami, hindi naman kami nakaupo nun? [15:17] Sen. De Lima, hindi naman congresswoman nun. [15:19] Ako, hindi naman ako Sen. [15:21] Diba? [15:22] So, insinuation nun, ande, baka may hihingin pabor. [15:25] May hihingin pabor, ganun kalaki. [15:27] Ganun kalaki ang pinag-uusapan, 40 million to 70 million sa isang malihtahan. [15:31] Limang malihtahan. [15:34] It's weird. [15:36] It's way out. [15:37] Talagang sabagay. [15:39] Pagkayang ganun, meron talagang mga galipol eh. [15:45] Sen. De Soto, let's talk about what happened yesterday. [15:47] You called this hearing, as we are seeing it right now, as a bogus hearing. [15:52] But what makes the events yesterday that transpired, what made your move illegal? [15:59] What made the Soto bloc's actions legal yesterday that you're now able to call this with conviction? [16:09] This is a bogus hearing. [16:11] Go ahead. [16:13] Oh, well, um, we, um, we had the quorum. [16:17] What was happening is that, um, um, rule, uh, 14 of our rules, no? [16:25] Rule 14, section 41, the president, the senate president, meaning, after consultation with the minority leader, can postpone holding these sessions. [16:37] Walang ginawang ganun, from the time na hindi sila sumisipot, walang ginawang ganun. [16:43] So, um, we, we, we really felt, no, that the, the, the Filipino people deserves, uh, um, senators who show for, who show up for work, not who show up for drama. [16:57] You know, and so, um, we were 11, we waited, how many, ilang araw yun, nag-iintay kami, di ba? [17:04] Uh, we stayed there until about 7 p.m., and, uh, and then, all of a sudden, Senator Chisa Scudero felt everything was untenable anymore and came over. [17:18] So, we had a quorum, a 12. 12 is a quorum, uh, as far as the senate is concerned, if there are only 22 members who are in the coercive power, within the coercive power of the senate. [17:32] It has been, there is a jurisprudence to that effect, the Abelino versus Cuenco. [17:37] Not only that, the senate has done this five times. [17:41] I can give you the, the, the dates, uh, of, uh, these, uh, uh, quorum calls that the senate has done. [17:49] And all, uh, uh, if I'm not, if I'm not mistaken, three or four of these 12, uh, uh, 12-member, uh, senate quorum, uh, quorum, included Senator Cayetano, Senator Pia, and Senator Loren. [18:08] So, the, the, the definitely legitimate, um, as a matter of fact, the House of Representatives acknowledged it. [18:15] The, the executive department acknowledged it. [18:18] All right. [18:20] It's only the group, uh, group of 10. [18:23] Just as a final question. [18:24] We cannot, could not face the fact that we did, we did declare all positions vacant. [18:30] And therefore, there is a vacancy in the office of the, of the senate president and other, um, committees that we did not elect a chairman of. [18:41] Just as a final question, Senator Soto, because we, um, we are running out of time. [18:46] Once the blue ribbon committee hearing, um, called by, um, acting senate president Sherwin Gachalian, um, is realized come Monday. [18:56] I believe that is the date. [18:58] How do you prove to the people that that hearing will not be conducted to protect the palace and the former speaker of the house? [19:09] As is being suggested by the Cayetano faction. [19:13] Go ahead. [19:14] Well, to see is to believe. [19:16] Let's see who is lying. [19:19] Let's see who has been lying all these many years. [19:22] Uh, uh, and let's see what will happen in, in our hearing. [19:27] No. [19:28] Tignan natin kung may, may, may katotohanan yung binibintang nila o yung mga sinasabi ng mga kasama ko na kasi nung lingang binitawan na nila noong pa hanggang ngayon ay puro kasi nung halingan pa rin. [19:39] Uh, that's why I'm not surprised. [19:42] I will not be surprised that some other of, uh, some other senators would, uh, wake up. [19:48] You know? [19:49] Because ang daming namin na pending, ang daming na beating, na beating all because they wanted to keep their position. [19:55] Haba eh, nakita naman nila ako, ang bilis meron ka 13, walika. [19:59] O ito, meron kami 12. [20:01] Eh, wala na yung 24. [20:03] Kaya nga sabihin nila eh, uh, when this, kailan daw naging 12 ang 13? [20:10] Sabi ko, noong naging 22 ang 20 mo, yung naging 12 ang 13. [20:16] Claro. [20:17] And the Supreme Court seso. [20:18] Diba? [20:19] And daming namin na pending. [20:21] C-8, Confessional Appointments Confirmation, dalawang citizenship, tatlong third reading na importante, [20:27] tungkol, lalo na sa proteksyon ng mga kababayan natin sa ospital, mga barangay workers, sa health workers. [20:34] Sipi mo yung ginawang yun, dahil lamang ayaw maalis sa pwesto, at dahil sampo na lang sila, hindi makintindihan sana ng mga kababayan natin. [20:46] Alam mo kasi, the problem, Carmina, is that there are people whose minds are closed. [20:53] Kaya ako napaniniwalaan nila, yun napaniniwalaan nila. [20:56] Pero the important thing is that they will see within their conscience what the truth is. [21:03] And let's see, in your question, let's see on Monday, tignan natin kung may po-proteksyonan ang new majority ng Senado. [21:11] Kung wala ko kayong pinoproteksyonan, will you also invite the 18 Marines here that we're seeing in our insets? [21:18] Who? The? [21:19] The 18 Marines, yeah. [21:21] Yeah, the legitimate ex-Marines. [21:26] Because hindi rin lahat maninsen eh. [21:30] Hindi rin totoo eh. [21:31] Sabi ng Philippine Navy. [21:35] Elistahan ng Philippine Navy kung sino lang daw ang totoo doon at hindi eh. [21:38] Alright. [21:39] So we'll find out. [21:40] I'm sure they will not tackle that in their bogus meeting or bogus hearing. [21:45] But we can tackle that next week. [21:47] Alright. [21:48] Okay, we're gonna have to leave it at that because we've run out of time. [21:55] Former Senate President Vicente Soto III joining us this noon. [21:59] Maraming salamat po. [22:00] Yes ma'am. [22:01] Thank you very much. [22:03] Thank you.