LOOK: Gatchalian, Cayetano issue separate memos for Senate offices for June 4
Senate president Alan Peter Cayetano and acting Senate president pro tempore Sherwin "Win" Gatchalian has issued different advisories for all Senate offices for June 4.
In a memo shared on Wednesday evening, Gatchalian said that there will be "no official business" scheduled for Thursday, saying that employees are advised to work remotely on the said date.
"The Committee chairmanships and memberships having been declared vacant, and to give way to the organization of committees under the new chairpersons, no official business has been scheduled tomorrow, June 4, 2026," Gatchalian said. "In light of these developments and to preserve the neutrality of the Senate bureaucracy, all Senate Secretariat and Senate Proper offices are hereby authorized to Work-from-Home (WFH) on the said date."
Gatchalian said that the events in the Senate have affected both the "ability of the Senate to fulfill its mandate" as well as the "morale of its employees."
"No officer or employee shall be deemed insubordinate, absent without leave, or otherwise administratively responsible for opting to avail of the
arrangement," he said, assuring them that they should not bear the burden of problems they didn't cause.
"The Senate leadership remains committed to protecting their welfare, preserving their professional integrity, and ensuring that no employee acting in good faith shall be subjected to intimidation, retaliation, or unwarranted administrative action," he ended.
On the other hand, Cayetano said that his office "remains fully operational" and that he still holds and exercises "the powers, functions, and prerogratives of the said office."
He added that the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing will push through on Thursday, June 4 at 10 a.m. as previously scheduled.
"All Senate officials and personnel assigned to support Committee activities are directed to render their full cooperation and assistance in connection with the said hearing," he said.
He also ordered Sergeant-at-Arms Manuel G. Parlade to oversee security and maintain order throughout the Senate hearing.
This comes after the Senate shakeup earlier on Wednesday where Gatchalian was elected as acting Senate president pro tempore and a major reshuffling of committee leadership. New Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Chair Erwin Tulfo announced that the Senate hearing on alleged anomalous flood control projects has been rescheduled to June 8.
"We are just moving the scheduled date from tomorrow to prepare all members," he told the media. "I declare that all members of the Senate, be in the majority and the new minority now, they are all members of the Blue Ribbon para walang masabi na ika nga may hocus pocus," he added.
Cayetano on his Facebook video however said that the scheduled committee hearings would proceed on Thursday, June 4.
"Tomorrow tuloy ang hearing ng Blue Ribbon Committee. I am still the legitimate, legal, moral Senate President of the Republic of the Philippines," Cayetano said. "There is still functioning committees. We have to hear the testimonies, invited po, pati po yung mga gumawa ng illegal ngayon."