Gatchalian: No 'standard practice' of leaving Senate rooms bare

PHILIPPINE SENATE, 10 OCTOBER 2026 —

The Office of the Ombudsman has inspected the Senate office that was stripped bare following the detention of Senator Jinggoy Estrada, a move that has triggered a formal review of the facility’s condition before it was handed over to Senator Tito Sotto.

The inspection follows a series of viral videos and images that spread online on Monday, October 5, the official turnover deadline. The footage revealed the office, reserved for the Senate president pro tempore, had been stripped of most of its floor tiles and wall panels.

The visual evidence also showed wires hanging from the walls and ceiling, electrical sockets pulled out, and what appeared to be the removal of the toilet bowl, shower, and pantry sink. This state of disrepair has drawn sharp criticism from Senate leadership, who argue that such actions violate the norms of institutional respect and fiscal responsibility.

Gatchalian detailed the sequence of events, stating that the Ombudsman wrote to him requesting permission to inspect the room. Following this request, a representative of the Ombudsman visited the Senate on Thursday, October 8, to check the facilities. Gatchalian noted that while the agency did not explicitly state the specific purpose of their inquiry, the intent was clear given the nature of the office.

"They didn't say what the purpose was, but obviously it was the Ombudsman." Gatchalian said in an interview with DZMM, translating to, "They did not say what they were after, but that's obvious. It's the Ombudsman."

In response to the Ombudsman's involvement, Gatchalian ordered the Senate secretary to cooperate fully with the investigation. He emphasized that the Senate chamber maintains a standard protocol of cooperation with law enforcement and investigative bodies, including the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation. The Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms assisted the Ombudsman’s representative during the walkthrough, ensuring that the inspection of the facility and office proceeded without obstruction.

The controversy extends beyond the Ombudsman’s inquiry, as the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), which owns the building housing the Senate, also conducted its own inspection. Gatchalian revealed that GSIS officials examined the room a few days prior to the Ombudsman’s visit, prompted by the circulation of photos showing the damaged state of the office.

The insurance agency’s primary concern, according to Gatchalian, was the structural integrity of the facility, raising questions about whether the removal of fixtures had compromised the building’s safety or design.

Gatchalian firmly rejected the narrative propagated by Estrada’s camp that leaving a vacated office bare is a "standard practice" within the Senate. He countered this claim by citing his own experience when he moved offices in 2016. At that time, then-Senator Koko Pimentel asked Gatchalian if he wanted the room left as it was, establishing a precedent of courtesy and preservation.

Similarly, when Gatchalian vacated the Senate president’s office on Friday, Senator Tito Sotto asked if he wished to retain the furniture. Gatchalian noted that Sotto ultimately left the office as it was, including his own chair and desk, which Gatchalian had expected him to take. "There is no standard practice like that. The standard practice is to give respect to one another." Gatchalian stated, asserting that the true standard practice is mutual respect.

The dispute over the office’s condition is rooted in the history of the position. The room is reserved for the Senate president pro tempore, a post Estrada held from May 2024 to September 2025 under then-Senate President Chiz Escudero. Although Senator Loren Legarda and Senator Ping Lacson later held the post, they did not move into the specific suite, allowing Estrada to retain it until he vacated it this month.

Gatchalian, whose term ends in 2028, indicated that he would only make minor changes to the work area for his staff to accommodate their larger number, suggesting that the extensive damage caused by Estrada’s departure would require significant remediation.

Estrada’s office issued a statement on Tuesday defending the removal of items. The statement claimed that most of the removed items, including floor tiles, glass panels, lighting fixtures, and cabinets, were purchased with Estrada’s personal funds because the Senate’s budget for the office had fallen short.

The office asserted that "not a single centavo" of public funds was wasted in the process and that the resident Commission on Audit auditor had been informed of the situation. Furthermore, the statement alleged that the room was already bare when Estrada received it in 2022 and characterized the removal of fixtures as a long-standing practice in the Senate.

The statement also revealed that Estrada’s chief of staff, lawyer Racquel Mejia, had informed Sotto’s camp before the deadline that the fixtures and furnishings would be moved to Estrada’s new office. This claim of prior notification stands in contrast to the surprise expressed by Senate leadership upon discovering the extent of the removal.

The assertion that the room was bare upon Estrada’s arrival in 2022 has been directly disputed by Senator Ping Lacson, who turned the room over to Estrada at that time.

Lacson challenged the accuracy of Estrada’s camp’s claims by pointing to publicly released videos and photos from the 2022 turnover. "I take exception to the statement pertaining to the state or condition of the same Pro Tempore office that I turned over to Sen. Estrada in 2022. Nothing was removed nor destroyed, precisely because government funds were used when I refurbished it when it was turned over to me," Lacson said.

His rebuttal highlights a central conflict in the narrative: whether the office was maintained with public funds and left in good condition, or whether it was already stripped of assets before Estrada took possession.

Gatchalian expressed personal disappointment regarding Estrada’s actions, referencing the visual evidence of the stripped room. "Did you see the picture, it's all bare," he said, noting that the office was completely bare. He emphasized the financial and logistical implications of the situation, stating that Sotto would need considerable time to renovate the office and that the Senate would have to assist in the process.

Gatchalian lamented the lack of coordination, stating, "I hope there was a good conversation, I hope there was good coordination so that Senator Sotto's transfer is not delayed and the government does not incur expenses." which translates to, "There should have been proper talks and coordination so Senator Sotto's move would not be delayed and the government would not have to spend money for this."

The ongoing investigation by the Ombudsman and the structural review by GSIS underscore the seriousness with which the Senate and its stakeholders are treating the incident. The case has moved beyond a simple dispute over furniture to a matter of potential misuse of public assets and institutional integrity.

As the Ombudsman completes its inspection, the findings will likely determine whether further legal or administrative actions are taken against those responsible for the removal of the office’s fixtures. The Senate’s commitment to cooperation with investigative bodies signals a determination to uphold accountability, ensuring that the standards of respect and fiscal prudence are maintained within the legislative chamber.

The resolution of this matter will set a precedent for how future turnovers of Senate offices are handled, reinforcing the expectation that public property and facilities are preserved for the benefit of the institution and the public.

Related: Senate office · Sherwin Gatchalian