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Claim: Senator Erwin Tulfo resigned from his post as the chair of the Senate blue ribbon committee following the testimonies of 18 alleged former security aides of former lawmaker Zaldy Co.
Rating: FALSE
Why we fact-checked this: Various YouTube videos circulating online contain the claim. A channel named “PINAS NEWS INSIDER,” with over 1.21 million subscribers, posted several videos with the earliest uploaded on June 9, garnering over 47,000 views, 2,400 likes, and 380 comments.
Text overlay on the video’s thumbnail reads, “Ayaw na sa blue ribbon. Bumitaw sa Senado! Umatras na si Gatchalian at Erwin.”
(No longer wants the blue ribbon panel. Quits the Senate! Gatchalian and Erwin have backed out.)
Its caption reads, “Wala na! Finish na! Umatras na si Gatchalian at Erwin di kinaya pasabog ni SP Alan at ex marines.”
(It’s finished! Gatchalian and Erwin retreated, unable to withstand the exposé of SP Alan and ex-Marines.)
Another video posted on June 10, which has over 62,000 views, 3,900 likes, and 350 comments, features a thumbnail with the text, “Erwin bumitaw na! Ayaw na sa fake blue ribbon nag sorry na!”
(Erwin has withdrawn! No longer wants the fake blue ribbon committee, he apologized!)
A similar video, posted on June 11, says in its thumbnail: “Definitely mag-inhibit na ako! Erwin mag resign na! Tuluyan ng iiwan ang fake blue ribbon.”
(I will definitely inhibit! Erwin is resigning! Completely leaving the fake blue ribbon panel.)
The facts: Tulfo remains the chair of the Senate blue ribbon committee and has not resigned from his post.
The senator posted an update on June 17 confirming that he is still the head of the committee, along with his memberships in other committees. He was elected to chair the powerful Senate panel during the June 3 session, which saw the election of Senator Sherwin Gatchalian as acting Senate president.
During a special session called by the President on June 17, Gatchalian was formally elected Senate chief, and Tulfo retained his chairmanship of the blue ribbon committee.
Blue Ribbon: The Senate Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations — popularly known as the Blue Ribbon Committee — is tasked with investigating wrongdoing by public officials and government agencies.
The committee chairmanship has been one of the most coveted posts aside from the Senate presidency, especially in the 20th Congress, because of the power to preside over the high-profile flood control probe. (READ: How Senate committees work and why they matter)
In the 20th Congress, Senator Rodante Marcoleta first held the position from July 29 to November 11, 2025, followed by Senator Ping Lacson, who chaired the committee from November 11, 2025, to May 11, 2026. Senator Pia Cayetano briefly held the post from May 19 to June 3, 2026, before Tulfo assumed the chairmanship following the leadership change that deposed Senator Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate president.
Despite the Gatchalian bloc’s objections, the Cayetano bloc pushed through with its blue ribbon panel hearing on June 4, where the 18 alleged former security aides of former lawmaker Zaldy Co provided their testimonies. During this hearing, the 18 individuals implicated Tulfo, alleging that he received kickbacks from flood control projects, which the senator denied. (READ: Was the Senate blue ribbon probe staged by Cayetano bloc real or fake?)
On June 16, Tulfo announced that he would inhibit from the flood control probe to assure the public that the investigation into the alleged anomalies will proceed impartially. Senator Francis Pangilinan, the vice chairperson of the committee, will handle the subcommittee tasked with investigating the matter. – Reinnard Balonzo/Rappler.com
Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.
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