The Acting Senate Sergeant-At-Arms who was in charge of security at the time of the gunfight in the Senate building on 13 May has been fired.

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla announced the dismissal from the government service of Acting Senate Sergeant-At-Arms and Sergeant-At-Arms of the Commission on Appointments Mao Aplasca.

“On Monday, I signed the dismissal order of Mao Aplasca from the service,” Remulla said in his program on DZRH.

The Ombudsman had previously ordered the preventive suspension of the former police officer in relation

to the shooting incident which led to the subsequent escape from the building on 14 May of internationally wanted Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.

Aplasca was nominated by Dela Rosa to be Senate Sergeant-at-Arms at the opening of the 20th Congress in July 2025. He was succeeded by Edgardo Rene Samonte in February 2026.

May 2026 crisis

Aplasca returned as acting Sergeant-at-Arms on 11 May 2026 after Samonte was relieved for allegedly letting National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents onto the Senate grounds during the attempted ICC-linked arrest of Dela Rosa over the drug war case.

Days later, on 13 May, a Senate lockdown escalated into a firefight between the Office of Sergeant at Arms backed by Marine personnel and NBI operatives.

Authorities, including Malacañang, said Aplasca fired the first warning shot that triggered the exchange. Dela Rosa slipped out of Senate “protective custody” early the next morning despite the ICC warrant.

Remulla explained at the time that the decision was based on information that it was Aplasca who opened fire against the NBI agents who were situated at the adjacent Government Service Insurance System building.

The official suspension was for six months without pay, beginning when the order was first issued on 15 May.

Aplasca was subsequently replaced by retired Police Maj. Gen. Alfredo Corpuz as part of the ouster of Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano on 3 June that appointed Senator Sherwin Gatchalian as the new Senate President.

In an effort to prevent disinformation and provide clarity on its decision on the matter, Remulla said he would furnish a copy of their resolution in the coming week.

“We will reveal the decision so the people can see. Because it is difficult to explain, so the people can read the decision,” he said.

Aplasca, along with Senators Cayetano and Robin Padilla, was implicated in a case before the Ombudsman over an obstruction-of-justice complaint related to the aforementioned incident in the Senate.