OTTAWA - Conservatives on Parliament Hill are flooding social media with condolences on the death of Tobias Enverga Jr., the first Filipino-Canadian to sit in the Senate.

Senators were told this morning that Enverga died last night, although a formal announcement has not yet been made.

Conservative senators Linda Frum and Dennis Patterson took to Twitter to say they are shocked and heartbroken over the death of their good friend.

Conservative MP Erin O'Toole says Enverga was a role model and leader in the Filipino community.

Former prime minister Stephen Harper named Enverga as an Ontario senator in 2012.

At the time, Enverga said he planned to use his seat to advocate for his community and people with special needs, like one of his daughters who had Down syndrome.