Photo courtesy of Raffy Tulfo/Facebook.
Senator Raffy Tulfo urged authorities on Saturday to conduct a transparent investigation into the shooting incident inside the Senate, saying the disruption had stalled the progress of several proposed measures.
Tulfo, who is now part of the minority bloc, said the credibility of the Senate should be protected and placed above political interests as the chamber carries out its constitutional mandate.
He said the chaos inside the institution had affected legislative work, noting that several bills ready for sponsorship had been delayed due to the incident.
In a statement, Tulfo stressed the need for a clear and open inquiry to determine what happened and to restore normal operations in the chamber.
He said accountability was important so that lawmakers could return to their duties without further disruption, adding that the truth behind the incident must be fully established.
Tulfo also acknowledged a six-month preventive suspension order issued by the Office of the Ombudsman against Acting Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca, who admitted firing a warning shot during the incident.
He added that other individuals involved, including an NBI asset who reportedly returned fire, should also be held accountable as part of the investigation.
Multiple agencies, including the Philippine National Police, the National Bureau of Investigation, and the Ombudsman, have launched parallel probes into the incident, with officials saying they were reviewing footage and gathering testimony from those present.