MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Win Gatchalian announced on Thursday, October 15, that he has ordered an investigation into the authenticity of viral “wacky” photos and videos taken inside the Senate session hall and its corridors, stressing that such unbefitting conduct has no place in the chamber.
The directive follows social media backlash over circulating group pictures of the House prosecution panel posing inside the Senate, as well as separate videos showing former Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo and a vlogger dancing in a Senate hallway.
Emphasizing the need to preserve the dignity of the legislative body, Gatchalian highlighted that the chamber demands utmost reverence.
“The session hall at Senado ay sagrado ito dahil dito natin ginagawa marami sa ating mahahalagang batas at mahahalagang isyu, so dapat respetuhin natin itong institusyon na ito,” Gatchalian stated.
To verify whether the images are legitimate or manipulated, the Senate leader instructed the Senate Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA) to review closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage.
“So pinapacheck ko sa CCTV, kasi ngayong uso ang AI, to be honest about it. I wanna make sure lang na hindi AI yun, hindi yung ginawa sa lang sa Photoshop,” he explained in an interview.
Addressing the hallway videos, Gatchalian made it clear that turning legislative grounds into a spectacle is unacceptable.
“Hindi naman tama na may ginagawa kang katawa-tawa sa loob ng ating institusyon,” he added.
Gatchalian assured the public that formal findings and statements will be released once the investigation concludes. Should the allegations be proven true, individuals involved will face administrative action.
“Kung totoo yun, gagawa tayo ng statement,” he noted, adding that offenders will receive formal reprimands: “Susulatan sila, bibigyan ng warning.”