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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Raffy Tulfo laments delay in key bills amid Senate unrest

Raffy Tulfo laments delay in key bills amid Senate unrest

Published May 16, 2026 01:20 pm

At A Glance

  • Senator Raffy Tulfo called for a transparent investigation into the recent Senate unrest, saying the incidents have delayed the sponsorship and passage of important legislative measures.
  • Tulfo said the integrity and credibility of the Senate should prevail over politics and personal interests, stressing that senators must return to normal work to fulfill their mandate to the Filipino people.
  • A shooting incident involving personnel from the National Bureau of Investigation and the Senate Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA) occurred inside the Senate on May 13.
Senator Raffy Tulfo on Saturday, May 16 called for a transparent investigation into the recent unrest inside the Senate, as he noted that the incidents delayed the passage of important legislative measures.
Personnel of the Philippine National Police walk past a police cordon leading to the site of the shooting inside the Senate of the Philippines in Pasay City on May 14, 2026. (Mark Balmores)
Personnel of the Philippine National Police walk past a police cordon leading to the site of the shooting inside the Senate of the Philippines in Pasay City on May 14, 2026. (Mark Balmores)
In a statement, Tulfo lamented that several key bills scheduled for sponsorship have been put on hold because of the ongoing turmoil at the Senate.
“It is saddening that many important proposed measures are already prepared for sponsorship but continue to be delayed because of the chaos in the Senate,” he said in Filipino.
Tulfo stressed the need for a full and transparent probe into the incidents to establish the truth and allow senators to return to their normal work.
“There should be a transparent investigation into what happened, and the truth must come out so that our work can return to normal and we can fulfill the mandate entrusted to us by the people,” he added.
“The preservation of the integrity and credibility of the Senate should prevail over politics and personal interests, because the Senate as an institution exists to serve the Filipino people,” Tulfo said.
A shooting incident occurred inside the Senate on Wednesday, May 13, between members of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Senate Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA).
Since Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano was elected as Senate leader, the Senate approved on third and final reading a measure seeking to strengthen the implementation of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act by expanding financial assistance, improving access for disadvantaged learners, and institutionalizing stronger monitoring and quality assurance mechanisms.
The upper chamber also approved on third and final reading Senate Bill (SB) No. 1966 under Committee Report No. 46, a landmark measure institutionalizing the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program and imposing stiff penalties against fraudulent claims and unauthorized distribution of government aid.
There was also much discussion regarding Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa's situation following his surprise return on Monday, May 11.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) considers Dela Rosa a wanted man for alleged killings during the previous Duterte administration's bloody war on drugs. He was the Philippine National Police (PNP) chief when the war was launched in 2016.
He fled the Senate amid the confusion caused by the discharge of firearm within the building. 

Related Tags

Raffy Tulfo Senate shooting Alan Peter Cayetano Senate of the Philippines
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