By Dhel Nazario
The Senate Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations, or the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, clarified on Tuesday, June 16, that no hearing had been scheduled for that date.
In a statement signed by its chairman, Senator Erwin Tulfo, the panel stressed that recent announcements made by former Congressman Mike Defensor regarding an alleged hearing were issued without the authority or approval of the Committee.
“Accordingly, the Committee categorically rejects the misinformation being circulated online,” it said.
The panel reminded the public that legislative proceedings must strictly follow established protocols.
Under the Rules of the Senate, a formal three-day notice and agenda distribution are required before any committee hearing.
The purported June 16 hearing bypassed this requirement, rendering it illegitimate.
The Committee also pointed out that Defensor is neither a member of the Senate nor of the Blue Ribbon Committee.
“Consequently, he is not privy to the official investigations of this body. He possesses no legal standing to announce any proceeding on behalf of the Senate,” the statement read.
“The Blue Ribbon Committee will not permit its name and institutional integrity to be misrepresented or used for unauthorized disclosures. The public is urged to rely exclusively on official announcements and advisories from the Blue Ribbon Committee and/or the Senate of the Philippines,” it added.
In an interview, Tulfo described the supposed event as more of a press conference than a hearing.
He said the Committee is considering possible legal action against Defensor for making such an announcement.
“Pero initially po, we’re looking at usurpation of authority po ‘yun, yung ginagawa niya na gano’n,” Tulfo said.
