Sen. Pia Cayetano burst into tears on the Senate floor Wednesday, May 20, after taking personal offense at a privilege speech by minority Sen. Risa Hontiveros — a reaction that drew both sympathy and skepticism, and one that Hontiveros herself was called back to the podium to clarify.
The incident unfolded during a plenary session still heavy with tension from the May 13 shooting that erupted inside the Senate building, where Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa had taken refuge to avoid a possible arrest on an International Criminal Court warrant over his alleged role in the Duterte administration’s drug war.
In her privilege speech, Hontiveros said she had not found peace knowing that, a week after the chase and shooting inside the Senate, the institution had been carrying on as though nothing had happened — as if the Senate, its employees, and the Filipino people had not been disrespected. She called the incident a historic low for Philippine politics and pressed the chamber to confront what had taken place rather than resume business as usual.
The phrase that set off Cayetano was “parang walang nangyari” — as if nothing happened.
Cayetano raised her hand, went to the podium, and recalled that she had been just two doors away from where the gunfire occurred. Her voice breaking, she said: “Siguro po para sa mga inyong wala dito. Pero para sa amin na nandito, napakaraming nangyari. Takot na takot po ako na kailangan ko nang magpaalam sa mga anak ko.” (“Maybe for those of you who were not here, it may seem that nothing happened. But for those of us who were here, a lot happened. I was very scared — so scared that I felt I had to say goodbye to my children.”)
She also recalled how her staff member of 20 years, Claire, had been outside and did not know where to run, and later recounted the ordeal to her. Cayetano added that she was not blaming anyone, but expressed frustration that none of the senators from the previous majority bloc had checked on them during or after the incident.
The emotional display drew comfort from allies. Sen. Loren Legarda was seen comforting Cayetano at the podium.
But Hontiveros’ speech had not been directed at the personal trauma of those present. Returning to the rostrum to clarify, Hontiveros said her “parang walang nangyari” line referred to how the Senate had carried on since Monday — not to what colleagues, staff, security personnel, and reporters had lived through during the shooting itself.
“It is evident that the violence that breached our halls has profoundly affected all of us, and I don’t doubt the leadership’s personal distress over what transpired. However, when I stated that it feels now as though ‘walang nangyari,’ I was not speaking about our personal feelings. I was speaking about our institutional posture. Our grief as senators is valid, but our mandate requires action,” Hontiveros said.
The distinction is significant. Hontiveros was calling for institutional accountability — demanding that the Senate investigate and answer for what happened on May 13, not dismissing the fear and distress felt by those who were there. Cayetano, still raw from the experience, heard it differently.
Cayetano’s emotional response drew skepticism from some Filipinos online, particularly given that she is the sister of Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, whose leadership has been at the center of the political upheaval surrounding the May 13 incident and the broader controversy over dela Rosa’s stay in the Senate.
