INTERIOR and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla and Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano assured that all senators are safe and no casualties have been reported following the shooting inside the Senate building in Pasay City on Wednesday, May 13, 2026.
In an interview, Remulla said that at 7:46 p.m., armed men tried to enter the Senate building through the second floor but they were stopped by the personnel of Senate Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA) who fired warning shots.
“They retreated at the back and started firing indiscriminately in the air,” he said.
Remulla said they do not have a definite count on the number of shooters yet but all efforts are being made to identify who are those behind the intrusion attempt.
He said they have already instructed the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), which owns the Senate building and the Senate staff, to secure all the closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras for the conduct of investigation by the Philippine National Police together with the OSAA.
He said police and OSAA personnel are sweeping each floor of the Senate building to ensure there are no non-essential staff or person inside as investigation is being conducted.
“We do not know who is behind this but we will find them. We have all the security footages and I am here with the Senate President to assure him that we are here to secure them,” said Remulla.
Remulla and Cayetano assured that all the 12 senators who were in the building, all of them are from the majority bloc during the shooting, were all safe, including embattled Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.
“The President (Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.) sent me here to secure the senators. No politics at this time. At this time of turmoil, politics goes out the window. We all belong to one country and one nation. The President has given strict instructions: secure the senators whoever they may be,” said Remulla.
“We are not here to arrest Senator Dela Rosa. In fact, we are here to protect him. Let that be clear. We made that clear to his family,” he added. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)