FALSE: SC backs Sen. Cayetano as Senate President, removes Sen. Erwin Tulfo as Blue Ribbon chair

Francine Balang

A social media post circulating online claims that the Supreme Court had issued a ruling involving the Senate leadership and the chairmanship of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.

CLAIM

The post claims that the Supreme Court backed Senator Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate President and removed Senator Erwin Tulfo as chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.

RATING: FALSE

CONCLUSION:

There is no record of any Supreme Court ruling granting Cayetano the Senate Presidency or ordering the removal of Tulfo as chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.

THE FACTS:

• Cayetano’s title as Senate President has been removed from the official Senate website amid the ongoing leadership dispute in the Senate. 
• Following Cayetano’s removal from the position, Sherwin Gatchalian served as Senate President Pro Tempore and briefly acted as Senate President, but no permanent change in the Senate presidency has been reflected in official records. 
• Tulfo was elected as chair of the Blue Ribbon Committee during the Senate’s reorganization of committee leadership, and he continues to serve in that role based on the current Senate committee roster.

THE BOTTOMLINE: 

The post falsely presents the existence of a Supreme Court ruling that does not exist and may mislead the public regarding the current leadership of the Senate and Blue Ribbon Committee.