Senator Risa Hontiveros has formally filed a resolution honoring members of the Senate press corps for their unwavering dedication to reporting the truth during the chaotic and violent shootout that erupted inside the Senate building on May 13.
The violence broke out following a high-stakes attempt by law enforcement to arrest Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, who had resurfaced at the Senate just two days prior after a six-month absence to seek legislative protection from an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant.
Under Senate Resolution No. 400, Hontiveros recognized the journalists who refused to abandon their posts even as gunfire echoed through the complex during a tense standoff between police forces and Senate security.
In the resolution, the lawmaker praised the press for putting public service above their personal well-being under the threat of an active shooter.
“Despite being trapped in a building with a potential active shooter, the members of the Senate media exhibited remarkable personal bravery, prioritizing the public’s right to information over their own immediate safety by continuing to cover the incident as it occurred,” the resolution read.
Hontiveros also underscored the vital role that traditional, objective journalism plays in combatting the modern plague of fake news, especially when the country faces political instability.
“In an information landscape increasingly compromised by systemic online disinformation, covert influence operations, and coordinated inauthentic behavior, the impartial reporting of the Senate media serves as an essential pillar of truth, protecting the integrity of our democracy during times of national crisis,” it added.
The resolution formally urges the upper chamber to give due recognition to the courageous media contingent assigned to the Senate.
Despite the intense security lockdown and the firefight meant to secure him, Dela Rosa successfully slipped out of the Senate premises under the cover of darkness before dawn on May 14.