Senators condemned the shooting incident on Wednesday night, May 13, that disrupted proceedings inside the Senate building, calling for a thorough investigation and accountability for those responsible.
Sen. Joel Villanueva denounced the violence and urged authorities to ensure that such an incident does not happen again, noting the proximity of the gunfire to areas where lawmakers and members of the media were present.
Villanueva said a comprehensive investigation must be conducted to identify and hold accountable those behind the incident, which unfolded in a section of the building where senators hold meetings and journalists are stationed.
He also expressed gratitude to personnel from the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA) and the Philippine Marines for their coordination in securing the Senate complex following the incident.
Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri likewise condemned the shooting, which occurred Wednesday night, May 13, and called on the Philippine National Police to reconstruct the sequence of events and identify the individuals who attempted to enter the building.
“I strongly condemn the violence that took place inside the Senate building,” Zubiri said. “The PNP must give the public a clear timeline, identify the perpetrators and determine how armed perpetrators were able to enter, fire shots and get away from a seat of government.”
Zubiri described the incident as a serious breach of public safety and institutional security, stressing that the absence of injuries does not diminish its gravity.
“Violence must never enter the halls of the Senate,” he said. “The Senate is a place for free debate, legislation and public service, not a venue for violence or intimidation.”
He added that investigators must urgently determine who ordered and carried out the attack, how the perpetrators gained access to the building, and how they managed to escape.
Both senators underscored the need for swift and decisive action to prevent a recurrence of such incidents and to uphold the safety and integrity of government institutions.
