Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano defended his leadership amid growing calls for him to step down following the shooting incident at the Senate.

Cayetano maintained that the Senate cannot be made "submissive" or controlled under his leadership, rejecting the calls for his resignation as politically motivated.

According to the Senate leader, the moves to oust him are driven by those who want someone they can control at the helm of the chamber.

He stressed that the Senate, as an institution, will not be shaken by these pressures.

"Hindi niyo matitibag ang Senado," Cayetano told the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

("The Senate cannot be brought down.")

Cayetano assumed the Senate presidency on May 11 after replacing Senator Vicente "Tito" Sotto III. He has since faced mounting criticism over the May 13 shooting incident inside the Senate building and over the Senate's protective custody of Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, who is the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).