By GMA News Published June 2, 2026 12:46pm + Add GMA on Google Make this your preferred source to get more updates from this publisher on Google. Senator Erwin Tulfo on Tuesday described the Senate majority bloc's absence at the plenary session as a form of "boycott" after Senator Jinggoy Estrada was arrested for plunder charges."Maliwanag pa sa sikat ng araw, boycott ang session kahapon dahil sa sama ng loob nila na hinuli si Sen. Jinggoy Estrada," Tulfo said in an interview on Unang Balita.(It's clear as day that they boycotted the session because of Estrada's arrest.)"Naiintindihan ko ang bugso ng damdamin nila pero paano naman ang taumbayan?... Hindi naman kami binayaran para mag-absent... Hindi rin kami binayaran para makiisa sa kasamahan namin na kinulong. Binayaran kami at binoto para magtrabaho at gumawa ng panukalang batas," he added.(I understand their emotions are heightened, but what about the public? We were not paid to be absent. We were not paid to support our colleague who was arrested. We are paid and elected to legislate laws.)The Senate held no session on Monday after members of the majority skipped the proceedings following the arrest of Estrada in connection with the plunder case he is facing over alleged congressional insertions and kickbacks tied to flood control projects.Only members of the minority were at the session hall on Monday by 5 p.m., when the session was supposed to start according to the adjournment on May 26.They waited until past 7 p.m.According to Tulfo, the majority bloc did not issue a formal advisory that the session would not push through. He also claimed that the air-conditioning and Wi-Fi connection in the session hall had been cut off.Tulfo said the minority bloc will also hold a caucus to discuss their next steps."Sana may mahimasmasan sa kanilang mga kasama na wala nang nangyayari na at walang nagagawa. Sana may mahismasan sa kanila na isa o dalawang senador para makapagtrabaho na kami. Otherwise, ganito lang nang ganito," said Tulfo.(We hope that they will wake up and realize we had nothing done for the past three weeks. We are hoping that one or two of them will wake up so we can all work. Otherwise, this will be the scenario under his leadership.)Estrada allegationsIn a separate interview, Tulfo rejected Estrada's accusations that his arrest is related to his repeated rejection to join the minority bloc."Alam ko may mga kasamahan kami na kinakausap siya. Normal yun pero pangakuan ka na abswelto, makikinig ba samin si Ombudsman Boying Remulla?" Tulfo told dzBB Super Radyo.(As far as I know, some of our colleagues were talking to him. That's normal. But to be promised to be acquitted of his charges? Will Ombudsman Boying Remulla do us a favor?)"Hindi ko alam sino kausap niya...Kausap na ba niya ang Palasyo? Dapat sabihin niya... Sino ba ang kumausap sa kanya...Kasi kung kami sa grupo namin, wala kaming kapangyarihan na i-abswelto sya dahil sa Ombudsman yan," he added.(I don't know who he was talking to. Did he talk to Malacañang? He should disclose who it was he was pertaining to because if he is accusing the minority bloc, acquitting him of his charges is out of our control.)Senate deadlockWith Estrada in detention, the minority and majority are now tied to 11 members.Tulfo, for his part, said the minority senators are willing to talk to the majority bloc on the floor."We need them. Kailangan din namin sila na pumasok para may magawa kami. Nasa sakanila ang bola. Kung papasok sila, mas maganda. Magalit na sila hanggang gusto nila basta pumasok sila dahil kawawa ang mga tao," he said.(We need them. They need to appear in the session so we can return to work. But it is still up to them. The ball is in their court now. They can get mad as long as they want but they need to attend because it is the public who are bearing the brunt of their decision.) —Sundy Locus/ VAL, GMA News