MANILA, Philippines — Pushing back against claims of political coldness during a historic security crisis, the lower-profile legislative bloc has clarified its post-incident actions. Senator Erwin Tulfo directly disputed claims that the minority bloc ignored the welfare of majority lawmakers following the chaotic May 13 shooting incident inside the Senate complex, revealing that multiple minority members immediately checked in via their shared communication channels.
The clarification follows an emotional floor debate that exposed deep institutional trauma and finger-pointing over a high-stakes maritime and international legal standoff that leaked onto the Senate floor.
The row erupted after Senator Pia Cayetano became visibly emotional during a Wednesday session, breaking into tears while responding to Senator Risa Hontiveros. Cayetano criticized her colleagues, claiming that “not a single one of you” reached out to check on the majority members huddled inside the building while gunshots echoed outside.
During an interview with Unang Balita on Thursday morning, Tulfo firmly but respectfully countered that narrative by citing their joint digital logs:
- The Shared Group Chat: Tulfo noted that the chamber maintains an active WhatsApp group chat comprising all members of both the majority and minority blocs.
- The Minority’s Inquiries: According to Tulfo, he alongside minority Senators Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Bam Aquino, and Sherwin Gatchalian all sent immediate inquiries through the chat group on the night of the shooting. Former Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri also checked on the majority’s condition.
- The Logged Response: Tulfo stated he personally messaged the group at 9:57 p.m. writing, “Praying for all of you.” He added that Senator Camille Villar later replied to the group, stating, “Thank you, we’re all okay.”
[ PAST 7:00 PM: GUNFIRE IN SENATE ] ──► Majority Locked Inside ──► Minority Already Evacuated Home │ ▼ (Coordination Check)[ 9:57 PM: TULFO MESSAGES GROUP ] ──► "Praying for all of you" ◄── [ VILLAR REPLIES ]: "Thank you, we're all okay"
“I really don’t know why Senator Pia did not see those messages… We have a WhatsApp group chat that includes all members of both the majority and minority blocs. Messages were sent there by Sen. Kiko, Sen. Bam, Sen. Sherwin, and I also.” — Senator Erwin Tulfo
The dispute has also shed light on why the minority bloc was entirely absent from the building when the firearms were discharged. Tulfo clarified that a scheduled all-member caucus on the afternoon of May 13 was unexpectedly altered at the last minute by Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, who repurposed it into a majority-only meeting to resolve internal committee assignments.
Because they were excluded from the afternoon huddle, Tulfo and his minority colleagues had already left the Pasay City complex and returned home to their families by the time the shooting transpired past 7:00 p.m. Tulfo slammed any floor insinuations linking their early departure to foreknowledge of the chaos as “speculative, irresponsible, and unsupported by evidence.”
The underlying cause of the May 13 shootout stems from a highly volatile jurisdictional standoff. Days prior, the Supreme Court declined to issue an immediate temporary restraining order (TRO) to block an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant issued against Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, who subsequently sought protective custody inside the Senate building.
The security perimeter collapsed when heavily armed agents from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) positioned themselves directly outside the complex without prior tactical coordination:
[ SEQUENTIAL ACCORDION OF THE STANDOFF ]
│
┌────────────────────────────────┴────────────────────────────────┐
▼ ▼
[ THE ESCALATION ] [ THE FIREARMS DISCHARGE ]
• NBI agents deploy outside without coordinating • OSAA Chief Mao Aplasca orders a "lock-and-load"
with the Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA). directive to secure the perimeter.
• Standoff mounts over the validity of Dela Rosa's • OSAA personnel fire "warning shots," triggering
protective custody. mass panic and an immediate complex lockdown.
The fallout from the gunfire has triggered a fierce institutional crisis. Malacañang immediately stepped in, with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. releasing a video address clarifying that he ordered the NBI to stand down and confirming that the administration never authorized an active raid or arrest operation on the night of the incident.
The political aftershocks continue to widen. The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) has officially recommended filing criminal charges against suspended OSAA Chief Aplasca and two other personnel, ruling that the usage of firearms was entirely unjustified as the NBI agents exhibited no unlawful aggression. Concurrently, the Office of the Ombudsman has stepped in to investigate, placing Aplasca under a six-month preventive suspension—a directive that has sparked friction over whether the independent anti-graft body has the jurisdiction to enforce suspensions on internal legislative security personnel.