Jasha Gamao

Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano slammed the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for allegedly stirring up an unspecified security threat, accusing the agency of using it as a political tool to distract the public from an ongoing corruption probe. 

Cayetano questioned why the NBI selectively shared the intelligence with only a few lawmakers rather than the entire chamber, arguing that a genuine institutional threat should never be the private possession of one faction. 

“If the threat is credible, then every Senator, every member of the Secretariat, and every individual who works within these walls deserves to be informed and protected. Security is not the concern of one bloc. It is the concern of the entire Senate.” Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano wrote on his social media account.

He demanded full disclosure on the nature of the evidence, pointing out that the NBI bypassed standard security protocols by failing to clear the information with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police, or the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency.

“Since when has the NBI been the lead agency on matters of national intelligence and security? Where, in all of this, are the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police—the institutions actually mandated to assess and respond to threats of this nature? Has this so-called intelligence been validated by the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, or by anyone in the professional intelligence community?” Senator Cayetano continued.

The Senate leader directly attacked the NBI's credibility, labeling the bureau "clearly partisan" and reminding the public of recent violent clashes inside the legislature. 

Cayetano recalled a chaotic incident weeks ago where NBI personnel allegedly assaulted a Senate employee, blocked an elected senator, and provoked a shootout with the Senate's own Sergeant-at-Arms on the legislative grounds. 

He also criticized the NBI Director for publicly choosing sides in an internal Senate leadership dispute, declaring that an external agency involved in physical violence within the building cannot credibly appoint itself the guardian of the senators' safety.

Cayetano firmly linked the timing of the security scare to the explosive testimonies emerging from the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee. 

“And the timing demands honesty. This “threat” surfaces precisely as the testimonies made in the latest Blue Ribbon Committee hearing begins to press for answers from the names it has raised. We are asked to accept that this is coincidence. The Filipino people are not so easily convinced.” The Senate President said.

He stated that the threat conveniently surfaced just as the panel began pressing for hard answers from key individuals named in a massive multi-billion-peso flood control funding scandal. 

According to the Senate President, the move is a deliberate attempt to manage narratives, pressure the independent institution, and shift the national conversation away from government accountability.

Vowing that the legislature will not be intimidated or silenced, Cayetano confirmed that all legislative operations and committee hearings will proceed without delay. 

“And let there be no misunderstanding: the work of this Senate must continue. The surest test of whether a threat is genuine and not a pretext is simple—a real threat is used to protect the Senate’s work, never to suspend it. We will not permit the safety of this institution to become the instrument for silencing it.” Senate President Cayetano stressed.

He emphasized that the Senate must stay focused on passing critical economic measures and addressing urgent national crises, including climate disruptions impacting farmers and ongoing earthquake recovery efforts in Mindanao. 

The Senate will rely on its own internal security forces rather than surrender its independence to external actors, Cayetano concluded, asserting that the Filipino people are discerning enough to see through the diversion.

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Moving swiftly to aid disaster-stricken communities, the Senate’s newly formed majority bloc pledged to donate a full month of their salaries to support ongoing rescue, relief, and rebuilding efforts in earthquake-hit Mindanao, Senator Risa Hontiveros announced on her social media account.

The 12-member coalition announced the collective personal contribution as a direct response to the devastation, aiming to provide immediate financial backing to families facing the grueling task of recovery.

The group explicitly called on their colleagues in the minority bloc to set aside political friction and match the donation. 

Spearheaded by senators including Win Gatchalian, Tito Sotto, Ping Lacson, Erwin Tulfo, and Risa Hontiveros, the "New Majority" emphasized that their duty extends to all Filipinos regardless of geographic or political lines.

Leaders of the bloc framed the initiative as a crucial opportunity for the upper chamber to demonstrate solidarity during a national crisis. 

"This is a moment when the Senate, whatever its internal divisions, can still speak through one act of shared compassion," the group stated, urging the entire legislative body to stand united behind Mindanao’s recovery.

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Agusan del Sur Representatives Alfel Bascug and Eddiebong Plaza filed House Resolution No. 1108 on June 9, demanding a legislative inquiry into the tragic drowning of Ateneo de Manila University basketball players Rene Clert Baterbonia and Divine Adili. 

The two student-athletes lost their lives during an off-campus team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora. 

The lawmakers filed the resolution immediately following the incident, seeking to uncover potential institutional lapses in safety, supervision, and risk assessment during sports-related activities.

The resolution seeks to review and tighten national policies governing student-athlete safety, emergency preparedness, and parental informed consent across educational institutions. 

Bascug and Plaza emphasized that athletic programs bear a heightened responsibility for players recruited from far-flung provinces and foreign countries, who are separated from the direct care of their families. 

The probe aims to determine if the team-building organizers exercised the required degree of diligence and whether adequate medical support and rescue capabilities were active on-site.

Baterbonia, a rising basketball star from Agusan del Sur, was highly regarded as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2025 Palarong Pambansa. 

His teammate, Adili, was a promising foreign student-athlete from Nigeria who similarly represented the future of the university's sports program. 

The sudden loss of both athletes has sent shockwaves through the local sports community and raised urgent concerns about the vulnerability of student-athletes during mandatory or program-sanctioned off-campus training events.

The House Committee tasked with the investigation plans to summon representatives from relevant educational institutions, sports associations, and safety experts to establish the facts surrounding the tragedy. 

Through this inquiry, the House of Representatives intends to identify policy gaps and craft legislation to protect student-athletes from preventable hazards. 

The lawmakers expressed their profound condolences to the grieving families while reaffirming the government's commitment to prioritizing the welfare and rights of athletes nationwide.

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The Philippine Senate ordered a total shift to work-from-home operations and a complete visitor ban from June 10 to 11 following a "credible threat" flagged by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). 

Senate President Pro Tempore Sherwin Gatchalian announced the emergency lockdown on June 9, confirming that all Secretariat and Senate Proper offices must work remotely while security forces fortify the complex. 

“We have directed all Senate Secretariat and Senate Proper offices to adopt a work-from-home arrangement and implement heightened security measures in response to ongoing security concerns affecting the Senate complex from June 10 to 11.” Senate President Pro Tempore Gatchalian wrote on his social media account.

Gatchalian emphasized that the safety, security, and welfare of all Senate personnel remain the chamber's absolute top priority amid the developing security concern.

In response to the intelligence reports, the Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms immediately launched heightened security protocols to secure the perimeter. 

Security forces are currently executing continuous sweeps of the building, raising surveillance levels, and enforcing stricter screening procedures at all entry points. 

Gatchalian strictly warned against complacency, asserting that every single piece of intelligence regarding a potential breach or attack must be taken seriously to preserve peace and order within the government facility.

Despite the physical shutdown and potential environment of intimidation, Gatchalian assured the public that the legislative body's work for the nation will continue uninterrupted in a safe and lawful manner. 

He also explicitly stated that the Senate remains fiercely committed to protecting its employees, promising that no staff member acting in good faith will face retaliation or unwarranted administrative action during this high-security period.

“We remain committed to protecting our employees’ welfare, upholding professional integrity, and ensuring that no personnel acting in good faith will be subjected to intimidation, retaliation, or unwarranted administrative action.” Senator Gatchalian concluded.

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Two student-athletes from the Ateneo de Manila University tragically drowned after being swept away by a strong ocean current in Dipaculao, Aurora, on Monday, June 8. 

Local police identified the victims as Rene Clert Baterbonia and Divine Adili, both members of the university’s men’s basketball team. 

Responding personnel from the Dipaculao Municipal Police Station immediately rushed the two to a nearby medical facility, but the attending physician declared them dead on arrival.

Initial investigations by the Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) reveal that the victims were swimming when they unexpectedly encountered a powerful, unpredictable undertow that pulled them into deeper waters. 

In the wake of the tragedy, the Aurora Police Provincial Office (PPO), led by Acting Provincial Director PCOL Percival R. Pineda, has launched a thorough investigation to map out all details surrounding the incident and coordinate with concerned maritime safety agencies.

PRO3 Regional Director PBGEN Jess B. Mendez expressed deep condolences to the bereaved families, teammates, and the entire Ateneo community while appealing to the public for restraint. 

Authorities strongly urged netizens to refrain from online speculation and to respect the privacy of the grieving families during this difficult time. 

Adili was the Blue Eagles' foreign student-athlete in the UAAP Season 88 Men's Basketball Tournament. Despite being limited by a back injury, the 21-year-old showed promise, putting up 8.36 points and 8.27 rebounds in 11 elimination round games played. 

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) said it is already in contact with Ateneo's basketball officials to provide assistance.

Ateneo said further details regarding wake and funeral arrangements will be announced after consultation with the players' families. The university also asked the public to respect the privacy of those grieving.

Furthermore, police issued a stern advisory to tourists and beachgoers, reminding them to observe local safety protocols and exercise extreme caution when engaging in water activities near strong currents.

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