Cheyenne Suarez

Tulfo disputes Pia's claim minority didn't check on majority after Senate shooting

Article (news)

David Dizon

ABS-CBN News

<p>Sen. Erwin Tulfo rejected Thursday Sen. Pia Cayetano’s claim that members of the Senate minority did not check on members of the majority after a gunfire incident in the Senate on the evening of May 13.</p><p>Speaking to DZMM, Tulfo confirmed a group chat that showed several minority senators expressing concern for the safety of majority senators who were still in the Senate when the shooting incident happened before 8 p.m.</p><p>Tulfo said the first person to send a message in the group chat was Sen. Camille Villar at 9:55 p.m., saying that they were okay.</p><p>“May kumakalat ngayon na group chat po namin, na kinumusta naman po sila. Nag text po o nag chat po una si Sen. Camille [Villar] na ‘We are all okay here.’ 9:55 pm po yata yun. Sunod-sunod na po sumagot: ‘Keep safe’, sumagot po si Sen. Sherwin [Gatchalian]. Marami pong sumagot. Pati po ang inyong lingkod dahil papunta po ako ng Baclaran. Sinabi ko: ‘Praying for you. Praying for all of you there.’ Si Sen. Bam [Aquino] sabi niya: ‘Keep safe, guys.’ So may mga nangumusta po sa menorya sa kanila. Baka di lang nabasa ni Senadora Pia yung group chat namin sa WhatsApp,” he said.</p><p>Tulfo said Cayetano’s anger could be due to someone insinuating that the minority had something to do with the Senate shooting.</p><p>He earlier dubbed as <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/20/erwin-tulfo-says-irresponsible-to-tag-minority-bloc-in-senate-chaos-1548">irresponsible</a> any insinuations that the minority bloc had a hand in the chaos that rocked the Senate last week.</p><p>“May nagsabi kasi sa kanila baka pakana ito ng minority. Kahit sino sasama ang loob mo, kasamahan mo pagpapalanuhan na manggugulo. Pero honestly speaking, hindi naman galing sa amin. Wala po kami lahat dun,” he said.</p><p>On Wednesday, Cayetano became emotional after Sen. Risa Hontiveros asked why the Senate was acting like nothing happened after the shooting incident. </p><p>“Para sa amin na andito, napakaraming nangyari. Takot na takot po ako na kailangan ko nang magpaalam sa mga anak ko. Para sabihin n’yo na walang nangyari, napakasakit para sa aming lahat na andito,” Cayetano said.</p><p>“Wala po akong sinisisi pero pagkatapos ng lahat, pagtingin ko sa group natin, yung dating majority group, walang ni isa sa inyong nangamusta sa amin. Some of you I’ve known for 20 years, 10 years, and I didn’t even hear any of you say, &#x27;Kumusta kayo d’yan?&#x27; Napakasakit nun sa ‘kin, sobrang sakit,” she added. </p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZDkRcnRS05Y?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>Hontiveros, meanwhile, said the Senate “sustained a profound injury to its dignity, credibility and moral authority before the Filipino people” due to the May 13 mayhem.</p><p>She clarified that when she said “parang walang nangyari” or as if nothing happened, she was talking about the aftermath of the gunfire. </p><p>Sen. Panfilo Lacson appeared to address Cayetano’s remarks on X. </p><p>“Quote of the day: ‘Wala man lang nangumusta sa amin!’ Paano mo ba naman kukumustahin ang mga masasayang nagkakainan, nagkakape at naka FB live pa para pagbintangan ang minority bloc na may alam daw sa putukan ng baril sa Senado?” he said. </p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sccRBP6gu7k?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano was the first to attack minority senators, saying none of the minority were in the Senate building when the shooting happened and further criticizing the minority for failing to check on fellow senators after the incident.</p><p>Tulfo fired back at the Senate President’s claim, saying Cayetano’s own chief of staff told the minority not to come to the majority caucus Wednesday night.</p><p>“Two days before, sinabi niya may caucus ang all members, minority atsaka majority. Pagkatapos bandang alas-singko, binawi niya po yun. Ang sabi po ng kanyang COS, ng kanyang office: ‘Ay, majority na lamang pala.’ And we understood kasi baka pag-usapan nila ‘yung mga committee-committee. Tama nga po kami dahil pinag-usapan yung distribution of committees,” he said.</p><p>“Ano pa po ang gagawin naming mga miyembro ng menorya doon? Tumunganga? Maghihintay ng tsismis? Eh might as well go home na lang po.”</p><p>A Philippine National Police investigation has shown the Senate shooting was instigated by Senate Sergeant-At-Arms Mao Aplasco who allegedly fired at NBI agent who were outside the Senate building. </p><p>DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla added there were no signs that the Senate was under attack, as claimed by the Senate President. </p><p>The investigation also revealed that Sen. Bato dela Rosa, who had been under the protective custody of the Senate to prevent his arrest, was able to slip out of the Senate after the shooting incident.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_EKX51TV9ec?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dmAmqjQTlLo?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Sen. Erwin Tulfo rejected Thursday Sen. Pia Cayetano’s claim that members of the Senate minority did not check on members of the majority after a gunfire incident in the Senate on the evening of May 13.</p>

Sen. Erwin Tulfo rejected Thursday Sen. Pia Cayetano’s claim that members of the Senate minority did not check on members of the majority after a gunfire incident in the Senate on the evening of May 13.