Rowegie Abanto

Senator Risa Hontiveros expresses dismay during a privilege speech on Wednesday, May 20, over the apparent disrespect to the Philippine Senate following the shooting incident that transpired last May 13. Hontiveros says the attack caused profound injury to the Senate’s credibility and should not be tolerated. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

SENATE - HONTIVEROS

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177984563493220260520-senate-session-risa-hontiveros-MT1.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Sen. Risa Hontiveros expresses dismay during a privilege speech on Wednesday, May 20, over the apparent disrespect to the Philippine Senate following the shooting incident that transpired last May 13. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Sen. Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday questioned the seeming rush to amend the Senate Rules that would allow Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa, who is in hiding, to participate in sessions electronically, including voting.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/27/authorities-raid-angeles-house-tagged-as-dela-rosa-hideout-1036">Authorities raid alleged Dela Rosa hideout in Angeles City</a></div><p>On Tuesday, Hontiveros and other members of the minority bloc <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/26/minority-senators-walk-out-after-clash-on-electronic-voting-rule-discussion-1956">walked out of the Senate plenary</a> in protest of Sen. Rodante Marcoleta&#x27;s proposal allowing senators to join sessions remotely under &quot;justifiable&quot; reasons.  </p><p>&quot;Itong nangyayari nitong nakaraang tatlong linggo masamang Senateflix ito kasi mas importante pa ba yung pagpilit [pagbotohan] yung voting by electronic means kaysa yung mga isyu talaga ng ating mga kababayan?&quot; she said an interview on DZMM.</p><p>&quot;Tatlong linggo na kaming parang nagpapatintero sa floor sa mga isyu na mas may kinalaman sa aming mga senador. Dapat talaga bumalik sa trabaho namin para sa bayan.&quot;</p><p>Hontiveros said they left the Senate plenary session because the majority bloc was insisting on voting on Marcoleta&#x27;s amendment to the Senate Rules when &quot;substantive problems&quot; to his proposal were yet to be discussed.</p><p>She said the majority group at the time had yet to justify that they were following the proper procedures on amending the Senate Rules and that some of her colleagues in the minority still had questions on the proposal.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/27/-another-battle-minority-to-stand-ground-vs-online-voting-erwin-tulfo-1001">‘Another battle’: Minority to ‘stand ground’ vs online voting — Erwin Tulfo</a></div><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/EXsYrE43yeo?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span>Hontiveros <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/13/hontiveros-vows-to-block-marcoleta-proposal-relaxing-rules-on-voting-remotely-1228">previously pointed out </a>that any proposed amendment to the Senate Rules should be first deliberated in the Senate Committee on Rules before it could be discussed at the plenary.</div><p>When Leila De Lima was senator and detained during the Duterte administration, her allies at the time proposed to allow her to participate in Senate sessions remotely, which was denied.</p><p>The difference now, Hontiveros said, is that the Senate Rules were seemingly being amended to allow a senator who refuses to submit to a lawful arrest to continue to legislate, vote, debate, influence public policy, and accept &quot;institutional benefits&quot; even without a physical presence at the chamber.</p><p>&quot;Effectively magga-grant ang Senate ng procedural privilege [sa] hindi abot-kamay ng ordinaryong mamamayan,&quot; she said.</p><p>In contrast, De Lima, who is now a House member under the Mamamayang Liberal party-list group, at &quot;all times&quot; has &quot;mutual respect&quot; for legal authorities, Hontiveros noted.</p><p>&quot;Unfortunately, yung kasama kong senador ngayon ay nagpapakita ng walang respeto sa legal authority,&quot; she said, without naming anyone. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/25/dela-rosa-s-wife-asks-judiciary-don-t-be-an-accessory-to-bringing-my-husband-to-the-hague-1346">Dela Rosa’s wife asks judiciary: ‘Don&#x27;t be an accessory to bringing my husband to The Hague’</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/25/read-justices-concurring-dissenting-opinions-on-dela-rosa-s-tro-request-2042">READ: Justices&#x27; concurring, dissenting opinions on Dela Rosa&#x27;s TRO request</a></div><p>Dela Rosa is questioning the legality of an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court for the alleged crime against humanity of murder under the war on drugs. He initially sheltered at the Senate but left its premises after the May 13 mayhem caused by a shooting incident.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS: </strong></div><div><strong><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/yfHfgUnnU24?&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/RQI227sfYH0?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Sen. Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday questioned the seeming rush to amend the Senate Rules that would allow Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa to participate in sessions electronically, including voting.</p>

Sen. Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday questioned the seeming rush to amend the Senate Rules that would allow Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa to participate in sessions electronically, including voting.

'Masamang Senateflix': Hontiveros questions alleged rush to amend Senate Rules

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'Masamang Senateflix': Hontiveros questions alleged rush to amend Senate Rules

Rowegie Abanto,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 27, 2026 11:48 AM PHT

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