Ombudsman widens gun probe, seeks media list

The Ombudsman has demanded from the Senate the list of media personnel who covered the 13 May shooting fiasco inside the premises as it kicked off a motu proprio probe into the incident.

In a 15 May letter furnished to the Senate Public Information Bureau only on Tuesday, 19 May, the Ombudsman sought the names, including logbook entries, of media personnel who were present at the Senate premises on 13 and 14 May.

The Ombudsman warned that a certification under oath would be demanded in case of non-compliance.

Prior to this, Ombudsman Boying Remulla also subpoenaed copies of CCTV footage capturing the armed standoff involving Senate security and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) operatives.

The Senate turned over the sought-after footage instead to the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

The Senate descended into chaos on 13 May after several gunshots rang out in the building over the NBI’s alleged second attempt to arrest Senator Bato dela Rosa on an International Criminal Court warrant.

NBI director Melvin Matibag denied the so-called botched operation and insisted that NBI agents were only present at the GSIS premises — beside the Senate — following a request from its president and general manager, Wick Veloso, to maintain peace and order in the compound.

Before gunfire broke out, the Senate was placed under total lockdown, leaving media personnel, Senate employees, senators and their staff inside the building.

Bato leaves building

The commotion erupted at around 7:30 p.m. on the building’s second floor, where members of the press are stationed.

Some journalists and media crews managed to leave the building as tensions escalated, while others were trapped inside.

Initial investigation by the Department of the Interior and Local Government revealed that 32 bullets were discharged during the firefight. Of the total, 27 came from the Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms, while five came from the NBI.

Acting Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca fired the “warning shot” after allegedly spotting NBI agents breaching the building’s second floor.

Aplasca was suspended by the Ombudsman for six months without pay, though Senate President Alan Cayetano, as of Tuesday, had yet to enforce the sanction.

The shooting incident came two days after NBI agents allegedly made their first attempt to arrest Dela Rosa, who made a surprise return to the chamber after six months of absence.

Dela Rosa helped secure a 13-vote win for Cayetano in taking over Sen. Vicente Sotto as Senate president.

On 14 May, before dawn, Dela Rosa left the Senate premises aboard Sen. Robin Padilla’s vehicle.

Aplasca said Senate security was informed about Dela Rosa’s exit, but argued that they could not stop him from leaving the premises.

Dela Rosa had been placed under Senate protective custody before his sudden escape.