Malacañang on Tuesday said investigation showed the Senate was not under attack during the gunfire incident on 13 May, as officials presented CCTV footage, ballistics findings, and a reconstructed timeline of the events involving Senate security personnel and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents.
In a Palace press briefing, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida and Philippine National Police chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said the six-day probe pointed to a “gun-related incident” rather than an assault on the Senate.
“For the record, all evidence points that there was no attack on the Senate,” Remulla said. “I would like to repeat: all evidence points that there was no attack on the Senate.”
Officials said investigators reviewed CCTV footage, affidavits, witness accounts and physical evidence recovered from the scene.
Based on the PNP timeline, Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa made a public appeal for support at 5:23 p.m. on 13 May, while the Senate adjourned its session at 5:58 p.m. The Supreme Court later did not issue a temporary restraining order on his petition.
At 6:57 p.m., Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms chief Maj. Gen. Mao Aplasca announced that “someone will be arrested,” as the Senate building was placed under lockdown. The House articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte arrived at the Senate shortly before gunfire was heard at around 7:45 p.m.
Authorities said security coordination between the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and the OSSA had been conducted as early as 12 May, a day before the incident.
The government said the GSIS requested NBI assistance to secure its premises amid concerns that calls for mass mobilization could spill over into the adjacent GSIS complex, which houses government assets and artworks.
Nartatez said 29 NBI agents were deployed to the GSIS area, stressing they never entered the Senate building.
“None of the NBI agents had tactical gear with them. They did not have a battering ram or equipment to breach any door,” Remulla said.
Officials also presented CCTV footage showing NBI personnel moving through GSIS-connected areas before the shooting, saying they were not in assault formation and were clearly identifiable as law enforcement agents.
Authorities said the confrontation began after Aplasca opened a door leading to the area where NBI agents were positioned, confronted one of them, and fired shots in their direction.
One NBI agent reportedly returned fire while retreating, which officials described as “cover fire” rather than an offensive action.
Ballistics investigators recovered 44 spent cartridges at the scene, including 5.56mm, 9mm and .40-caliber rounds. Authorities said bullet trajectories suggested the gunfire largely originated from inside the Senate area, with no indication of external fire directed into the chamber.
Nartatez said four firearms were identified as involved in the incident, but noted that Aplasca has yet to surrender his weapon for ballistic examination despite repeated requests.
Justice Secretary Vida said the findings were “compelling,” but stressed that prosecutors will independently validate all the evidence and further review the timeline from 11 to 14 May before determining possible liability.
“We still need to verify and validate everything. At the end of this, only the truth matters,” Vida said.
Meanwhile, Senator Robin Padilla said he could not fully comment on the incident, pointing out he was not on the second floor of the Senate building during the confrontation.
“I was on the fifth floor with Senator Bato,” Padilla said in an interview.
He declined to comment on Remulla’s conclusions, saying that he would defer to Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano.
Padilla, however, confirmed that his vehicle left the Senate complex at around 2:30 a.m. on 14 May but would not say if Dela Rosa was in it.
Cayetano did not face reporters following Remulla’s briefing.
