Marilyn Cahatol

Minority senators wait at the plenary hall with members of the majority visibly absent, prompting proceedings to be placed on hold on Monday, June 1, 2026. The Senate was scheduled to vote on the proposal to allow remote voting following the issuance of an arrest warrant against Sen. Bato Dela Rosa, who went into hiding after failing to secure a Temporary Restraining Order from the Supreme Court.  Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

SENATE PLENARY SESSION

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/178040178385520260601-senate-plenary-session-sans-majority-MT3.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Minority senators wait at the plenary hall with members of the majority visibly absent, prompting proceedings to be placed on hold on Monday, June 1, 2026.  <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Sen. Erwin Tulfo on Tuesday evening said the minority bloc’s walkout last week was different from the majority’s two-day absence in plenary sessions.</p><p>“What we did was to defend the institution, we have to defend the Senate rules. Sa kanila naman po pag-walk out nila, they are defending ika nga yung pagkaaresto po kay Sen. Jinggoy Estrada. Saan naman po ang hustisya doon? They are not defending, they are protesting kasi hinuli po ang isa sa kanila at nabawasan sila,” Tulfo said in a TV Patrol live interview. </p><p>Estrada was <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/1/jinggoy-estrada-faces-second-arrest-warrant-for-non-bailable-plunder-1414">arrested </a>Monday for his non-bailable plunder case stemming from his alleged involvement in the flood control scandal. </p><p>Tulfo questioned why Cayetano was blaming the minority for the arrest of a senator. “Bakit nila sisisihin sa amin sa minority kung may warrant of arrest ang kasamahan nila sa majority?”</p><p>In a Facebook live, Cayetano claimed that the new minority since February this year had used the cases senators face to maintain the previous majority bloc. </p><p>Aside from Estrada, majority Senators Joel Villanueva and Francis Escudero are also allegedly linked to the flood control scandal, while Sen. Rodante Marcoleta is under scrutiny for alleged non-disclosure of election campaign donations. </p><p>Meanwhile, the whereabouts of Sen. Ronald &quot;Bato&quot; dela Rosa, who is the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court, remain unknown.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/1/pnp-pursuing-all-leads-to-track-down-dela-rosa-1223">PNP pursuing all leads to track down Dela Rosa</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>‘CAYETANO VIOLATED SENATE RULES’</strong></div><p>Tulfo emphasized that Cayetano violated Senate rules when he failed to preside the Senate sessions in the two days the majority was absent. </p><p>The minority senator added that Cayetano not informing Minority Leader Vicente &quot;Tito&quot; Sotto III of his absence or the cancellation of a scheduled session was also a violation of the Senate rules. </p><p>“Puro siya Facebook, puro siya live, baka gusto niya maging vlogger na lang. So bakit hindi na lang. At least sa pagba-vlog may kikitain pa, may monetary compensation,” the senator said. </p><p>“May oras siya sa pagba-vlog pero yung gawain niya rito, yung trabaho niya bilang Senate president, hindi niya magampanan. What does it tell you?” he added. </p><p>Tulfo added: “Sayang ang pasweldo ng sambayanan sa mga senador. Tatlong daang libo mahigit pa ang sweldo namin. Hindi ka papasok? Jusko po, nasasayang yung ika nga P10,000 per day na sweldo namin dito sa Senado. Yun po ang di niya naiisip at ng mga kasamahan po niya.”</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>‘IKAW YUNG MAY MALI’</strong></div><p>Tulfo also reacted to Cayetano’s statement that he will report him and his brother, Sen. Raffy Tulfo who called him &quot;duwag,&quot; to their own show, noting that the Senate president “was in the wrong.”</p><p>“Baka stressed out lang po ang Senate president. Kailangan po sigurong magpatingin sa doktor, magpakonsulta. Papaano naman po niya sasabihin na ipapa-Tulfo niya po kami. Kami po si Tulfo,” he said. </p><p>“But I know what he means na wala siyang mapagsumbungan. Anong isusumbong mo, ikaw nga yung may mali,” he added. </p><p>The senator urged the upper chamber’s presiding officer and the whole majority bloc to attend the last plenary session on Wednesday before Congress goes on break on June 5. </p><p>“Ang gusto namin — Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, I know you’re watching — pumasok po kayo sa trabaho, isama po ninyo yung inyong mga miyembro,&quot; Tulfo said. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/2/waiting-game-at-senate-a-day-after-majority-no-show-1526">Minority senators urge Cayetano to resign as Senate chief over &#x27;dereliction of duty&#x27; in 2nd no-show</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7DxHUi3OpH8?si=gIxTWlJYt67cIGxZ" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>Sen. Erwin Tulfo on Tuesday evening said the minority bloc’s walkout last week was different from the majority’s two-day absence in plenary sessions.</p>

Sen. Erwin Tulfo on Tuesday evening said the minority bloc’s walkout last week was different from the majority’s two-day absence in plenary sessions.

Erwin Tulfo on Cayetano: 'Baka gusto niya maging vlogger na lang'

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Erwin Tulfo on Cayetano: 'Baka gusto niya maging vlogger na lang'

Marilyn Cahatol,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 02, 2026 08:23 PM PHT

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