Palace: no NBI assault took place at Senate amid Bato tension

After tensions erupted at the Senate building in Pasay City on Wednesday night, leading to rounds of gunfire, Malacañang Palace on Thursday stressed that elements of the National Bureau of Investigation did not carry out any assault operation to arrest Ronald dela Rosa, who was reportedly under the protective custody of the Senate when the chaos erupted.

“Gusto nating linawin, una, walang assault na ginawa ang NBI agents sa Senado. Pangalawa, walang operasyon ang NBI at PNP (Philippine National Police) na arestuhin si Senator Bato,” Palace press officer and Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said during a briefing in Malacañang.

Castro said operatives from the Senate Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms allegedly fired the first shots after questioning an NBI agent and a blue guard at the bridge connecting the Senate building and the Government Service Insurance Systembuilding in Pasay City.

“Nang magkapakilala ang NBI agent, agad nagpaputok ng warning shot si Sergeant at Arms Mau Aplasca. At dahil doon, napilitan ding magpaputok ng warning shot ang NBI agent,” she said.

Aplasca is reportedly a “mistah” of dela Rosa, with both belonging to the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1987.

Castro added that, as of 11:09 a.m. Thursday, sources indicated that dela Rosa was no longer inside the Senate premises, although she said official confirmation was still being sought.