Pia Cayetano turns emotional as Hontiveros questions Senate 'return to normalcy'

Senator Pia Cayetano became emotional on Wednesday as she pushed back against Senator Risa Hontiveros' remarks criticizing the Senate's apparent "return to normalcy" following last week's shooting incident.

In a privilege speech, Hontiveros said the incident inflicted a "profound injury" on the dignity and credibility of the upper chamber.

"Halos isang linggo na matapos ang habulan at barilan dito sa Senado. Sa loob-loob ko, hindi ako mapanatag na simula noong Lunes, ang ipinapakita natin ay para bang walang nangyari, na para bang hindi nabastos ang ating institusyon, ang ating mga empleyado, at ang mga Pilipino," Hontiveros said.

(Almost a week has passed since the chase and shooting at the Senate. Since Monday, I have been unsettled because it feels as though nothing happened—as if our institution, employees, and the Filipino people had not been disrespected.)

"Hindi maliit na bagay ang nangyari dito (What happened here was not insignificant)," she added.

Cayetano, however, took issue with the remarks and recalled the fear she experienced during the incident.

"Siguro para sa inyong wala dito pero para sa amin na nandito, napakaraming nangyari. Takot na takot po ako na kailangan ko na magpaalam sa mga anak ko," Cayetano said.

(For those who were not here, it may seem like nothing happened, but for us who were here, a lot happened. I was so scared that I thought I would have to say goodbye to my children.)

"Kaya para sabihin niyo na walang nangyari, napakasakit para sa aming lahat na nandito," she added.

(So for you to say that nothing happened was deeply painful for all of us who were here.)

The senator also said she was hurt that no one from the minority bloc had allegedly checked on them after the incident.

"Wala akong sinisisi pero pagkatapos nang lahat, pagtingin ko ng group natin, 'yung dating majority group—wala ni isang nangamusta sa amin. Some of you, I've known for 20 years, 10 years and I didn't hear anyone of you say, 'Kumusta na kayo diyan?' Napakasakit sa akin. Sobrang sakit," she said.

(I am not blaming anyone, but after everything that happened, I look at our group and none from the old majority bloc checked on us. Some of you I've known for 10 or 20 years, and I did not hear anyone ask how we were doing. That was very painful for me.)

Hontiveros later clarified that she was referring to the apparent "return to normalcy" after the chaos inside the Senate, saying that disagreements should never escalate into violence, intimidation, or fear.

"As we all know, democracy has always made room for disagreement. But dear colleagues, hindi na ito political disagreement, hindi na ito isyu ng kampihan. What should trouble us is the manner by which disagreement is being settled, which reflects a broader national discourse that has become more coarse and unforgiving; when aggression is normalized, and humiliation is treated as political currency," Hontiveros said.

"We cannot have a culture that proudly treats fellow Filipinos as enemies to be defeated, all in the name of clout. 'Yung mga pagbabanta, pambibintang, pananakit ng damdamin, hindi 'yan ang dapat ginagawang sukatan ng tapang (Threats, allegations, hurtful comments, these should not be the measure of courage)," she added.

Meanwhile, Senator Erwin Tulfo defended the minority bloc against attempts to implicate them in the Senate shooting incident since they left the Senate early on May 13.

In a manifestation during Wednesday’s plenary session, Tulfo said the new Senate leadership informed the body of the intention for an all-senators caucus the day before the incident.

“On May 13, the day of the incident, at around 5:02PM, it was modified to a ‘Majority-only’ caucus. Naturally, members of the Minority who were no longer part of those internal deliberations eventually went home, Mr. President,” the senator said.

He added: “To suggest that the mere fact that some senators were responsible for what later transpired just because they had already left the premises is speculative, irresponsible, and unsupported by evidence.”

Tulfo added that ordinary Senate employees and staff who were caught in the middle of the chaos were the ones who felt “fear, confusion, and danger inside an institution where they should have felt secure.”

“At the same time, we must recognize the larger damage caused by this incident. Mr. President, millions of Filipinos, and even the whole world, watched this unfold in disbelief. They saw the confusion inside one of the highest institutions of government. They saw conflicting authorities, conflicting narratives, and an atmosphere that appeared closer to disorder than democratic governance. Nakakahiya po, sa totoo lang, Ginoong Pangulo (It’s embarrassing, to be honest, Mr. President),” he said.

The senator said there is “merit in the public outcry for an impartial, independent, and facts-based investigation.”

“At the end of the day, no camp wins when public confidence in institutions is weakened. The Senate is not a venue for armed confrontation or competing displays of force or political theater. It is a constitutional institution governed by law, order, and respect for due process,” Tulfo added.

On May 13, live television captured the sound of gunshots and people fleeing inside the Senate building, where Senator Ronald dela Rosa was under protective custody amid a possible arrest.

The incident came after the International Criminal Court (ICC) confirmed it had issued an arrest warrant against Dela Rosa over his role in the Duterte administration's war on illegal drugs.

Early Thursday morning, Dela Rosa left the Senate building with Senator Robinhood Padilla. — VDV/JMA, GMA News