FACT CHECK: Senators Lito Lapid, Erwin Tulfo remain in the minority bloc

Claim: Senators Erwin Tulfo and Lito Lapid have switched to the majority bloc and now support Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The video bearing the claim was posted on May 25 and has since garnered over 527,000 views, 4,500 likes, and 640 comments.

Text on the video’s thumbnail reads: “Lumipat kay Cayetano. Lito Lapid iniwan na din si Tuta Sotto. Minority shocked?”

(Transferred support to Cayetano. Lito Lapid has already left the lapdog Sotto. Minority shocked?)

Another video making the same claim was posted earlier on May 24 and has garnered over 20,200 views, 1,500 likes, and 110 comments.

A similar video posted on May 25 claims that Tulfo also switched sides and joined the majority bloc. This video has over 17,580 views, 1,500 likes, and 90 comments.

Its caption reads: “Biglaan to! Bumaliktad kumaliwa na! Erwin Tulfo ginulat lahat! Minority watak na sila lalong humina!”

(This is sudden! Switched sides! Erwin Tulfo shocked everyone! The minority is divided, they are weakened!)

The first video was posted by the YouTube channel “Jonel Cano Tv Mix Vlog,” which has over 40,000 subscribers. The other two videos were posted by “PINAS BALITA TV,” which has over 171,000 subscribers.

The facts: Both senators are still part of the 11-member minority bloc.

During the Senate plenary session on May 26, Lapid took the floor to clarify that he remains with the minority bloc.

“Mananatili po ako sa minority. Hindi po ako aalis dito,” Lapid said.

(I remain with the minority bloc. I’m not leaving.)

“Ang hiling ko lang dito sa Senado ay sana magkaisa tayo. Iwasan na ang bangayan, ang dami-dami nating bisita dito. Pagdasal ‘nyo po kami na magkaisa na kami para maibalik ang dangal sa Senado,” he added.

(My only appeal in the Senate is that we unite. Let’s avoid further infighting; we have so many guests here. Please pray for us, that we may finally come together and restore the dignity of the Senate.)

Lapid’s clarification came a day after he did not join his fellow minority senators in seconding Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri’s motion to strike from the record Senator Imee Marcos’ controversial video presentation.

Meanwhile, on May 26, Tulfo posted a joint statement from the minority bloc on Facebook following their walkout during a Senate session. The walkout was triggered by Senator Rodante Marcoleta’s proposal to allow senators to vote online if they cannot attend in-person sessions. 

Members of the minority questioned the attempt to rush changes in the Senate rules. (WATCH: Rappler Recap: Why did the Senate minority walk out?)

“We walked out because what happened on the floor looked less like orderly deliberation. The proposed rule change affects how senators may attend sessions, participate in proceedings and exercise their mandate through remote means, and such a measure should be opened to healthy public debate instead of being rushed by the tyranny of the majority,” the minority bloc statement read.

Senate drama: The events at the Senate followed a leadership shake-up on May 11, when Cayetano was installed as Senate president, unseating Senator Tito Sotto. Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, who is evading an International Criminal Court arrest warrant, reappeared at the chamber after a months-long absence to vote for Cayetano.

This was followed by a shooting incident on May 13 and Dela Rosa’s departure from the Senate, aided by Senator Robin Padilla.

Amid these controversies, Cayetano’s Senate presidency continues to be haunted by coup rumors, exacerbated by Dela Rosa’s absence from the chamber and reports of looming plunder cases against two majority senators. – Reinnard Balonzo/Rappler.com 

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