Daily TribuneShare
WHO let Bato out? Razor wires and a phalanx of policemen sealed off the Senate compound in Pasay City, keeping supporters and critics of Senator Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa at bay. The barricades, however, failed to keep the senator from quietly flying off the coop.
Photograph by Toto Lozano for DAILY TRIBUNE
Senator Raffy Tulfo is calling for a “transparent investigation” into the 13 May gunfire incident at the Senate, insisting that personnel from the National Bureau of Investigation should also be held accountable alongside the chamber’s now-suspended security chief.
The call for broader accountability followed the decision of Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla to place acting Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca under a six-month preventive suspension.
Aplasca earlier admitted firing the first “warning shot” during a tense confrontation while Senate employees and media personnel were still inside the building.
While acknowledging the Ombudsman’s action against Aplasca, Tulfo stressed that the NBI operative who allegedly returned fire during the incident should likewise face legal consequences.
“The truth should come out so our work can return to normal,” Tulfo said, noting that the Senate’s legislative agenda, including the sponsorship of several key bills, has reportedly been disrupted by the controversy.
Tulfo also said the Senate’s “integrity and credibility” should take precedence over political interests.
The investigation is likewise examining the circumstances surrounding the departure of Senator Ronald dela Rosa from the Senate complex.
Dela Rosa, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity, had reportedly been under “protective custody” at the Senate for three days.
Alan Peter Cayetano and Malacañang confirmed that dela Rosa left the premises at around 2:30 a.m. on 14 May, allegedly accompanied by Senator Robin Padilla.
The NBI has since tagged Padilla as a person of interest in relation to dela Rosa’s departure, which occurred only hours after the shooting incident.
Dela Rosa’s wife, Nancy, later apologized through a text message for the “confusion and havoc” caused by her husband’s “escape.”
Meanwhile, investigators are also facing difficulties after reports that the Senate declined to comply with an Ombudsman subpoena seeking CCTV footage of the incident.
While Cayetano has defended the actions of Senate security personnel as a necessary response to an alleged “attack,” NBI Director Melvin Matibag reportedly dismissed those claims as inconsistent.
Adding to the legal issues surrounding the case, Nicolas Torre III noted during an anti-bullying event in Pasig City that “warning shots” — cited by Senate security personnel in their defense — are prohibited under Philippine National Police operational rules.
Meanwhile, members of the House prosecution panel believe the unrest is closely linked to the looming impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, which is scheduled to begin on Monday.
