Senate Sergeant-At-Arms staff member dies due to pneumonia, COVID-19 result pending

A staff member of the Senate's Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms died due to pneumonia on Wednesday.

"Not yet confirmed as COVID case, he was just tested yesterday, no result yet and [he] died this morning," OSAA chief retired Major General Rene Samonte said in a message.

"He was diagnosed with pneumonia last Monday, June 29, and he had a previous angioplasty some years ago," he added.

Senate Secretary Myra Villarica also confirmed that a Senate employee has passed away but reiterated that his COVID-19 test result is yet to be released.

"Cause of death is pneumonia. He was swabbed for COVID but the results are not out yet," Villarica said in a separate message.

Last March, a staff member of Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. succumbed to COVID-19.

Just last week, two more Senate employees tested positive for the virus, bringing to 16 the official tally of confirmed infected workers in the upper chamber.

The senators and their staff had been holding "hybrid" or a combination of physical and virtual sessions and hearings in previous weeks to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Session in Congress is currently adjourned sine die.—AOL, GMA News