Amid controversies surrounding the recent shooting incident at the Senate, a lawmaker urged Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca to resign or be removed from his post for endangering the lives of people in the premises.

“Dapat mag-resign o tanggalin na sa puwesto ’yang trigger-happy na Senate Sergeant-at-Arms na ‘yan. He knows or ought to know na bawal ang warning shots sa rules of engagement,” Mamamayang Liberal Rep. Leila de Lima said through a Facebook post.

(He should resign or be removed as the Senate Sgt-at-Arms for being trigger-happy.)

“Inilagay niya sa peligro ang buhay ng maraming sibilyan,” she added.

(He placed the lives of many civilians in danger)

The solon’s post came nearly an hour after Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla announced through a press conference that Aplasca was going to be placed on a six-month preventive suspension.

Remulla cited the role the former police major general had in instigating the commotion by firing warning shots at law enforcement agencies who were at the GSIS building.

He further expressed how such an event could have caused traumatic experiences and potentially fatal injuries to individuals who were in the building at the time of the incident.

Independent Probe

Due to the severity of the situation, De Lima sought for an independent investigation to be conducted on the events that took place at the Senate since Monday, 13 May, when the long-absent Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa appeared in the chamber.

“Kailangan may investigation sa mga pangyayari yung nakaarang dalawa o tatlong araw sa Senado. Dahil nakakabahala, it’s very concerning, hindi dapat ‘yan nangyayari sa isang institusyon like the Senate,” she said.

(There needs to be an investigation conducted within the past two to three days at the Senate. It is alarming, it’s very concerning, this should not happen to an institution like the Senate)

The solon cited that any probe should not be internally conducted as the Senate has a separate issue with regards to its supposed shielding of Dela Rosa, who is currently wanted by virtue of an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC).

De Lima further questioned how the senator was able to freely leave the Senate if he was really under “protective custody” as the upper house showed no record of him ever leaving.

She also denounced notions that the ICC warrant should be first converted into a local warrant before it could be served, citing Republic Act No. 9851 as a legally binding provision that grants the state the ability to surrender locals wanted in international courts.

“Yung Republic Act 9851 na binibigyan ng estado ng karapatan na isurrender ang isang subject of investigation or prosecution sa isang international tribunal na nagsasagawa na ng investigation at trial,” she explained.

(Under Republic Act 9851, the estate is given the right to surrender someone who is the subject of an investigation or prosecution to an international tribunal that is currently conducting an investigation or trial)

“Wala pong nakasabi doon na kailangan muna ng isang warrant of arrest galing sa isang domestic court,” she stated.

(It does not state that there should be a warrant of arrest from a domestic court first.)