Claim: Members of the Senate minority bloc, particularly senators Risa Hontiveros, Bam Aquino, Tito Sotto, and Ping Lacson, had prior knowledge of the shooting incident at the Senate on May 13, which was why they had already left the premises when gunshots were fired.
Rating: FALSE
Why we fact-checked this: Multiple social media posts bearing the claim circulated following a shooting incident at the Senate, which happened around 7:45 pm on Wednesday, May 13. According to Senate logs shared by GMA News, most members of the minority bloc left the Senate between 5 pm and 7 pm, with Lacson exiting around half an hour before gunshots were fired.
The social media posts questioned the minority senators’ absence from the Senate premises. Facebook page “Dare to Ask,” which has over 257,000 followers, shared this post: “Four senators got tips 30 minutes ago while we were talking, na umalis na dito kasi may mangyayari…Political disagreements, debates are normal. Pero yung parang trayduran na at willing ipahamak at ipagkanulo ang kapwa Pilipino sa mga banyaga is just a different level! Anong klaseng mga nilalang ito?”
(Four senators got tips 30 minutes ago while we were talking, that they should leave because something is going to happen. Political disagreements, debates are normal. But to be willing to harm and to betray fellow Filipinos to foreigners is on a different level! What kind of person are they?)
