Remulla on May 13 shooting incident: 'There was no attack on the Senate'
Department of the Interior and Local Government Sec. Jonvic Remulla said that there was "no attack" on the Senate following the May 13 shooting incident that took place in the legislative building.
"All evidence points that there was no attack on the Senate," he said during a May 19 joint press briefing with the Philippine National Police and Department of Justice.
Remulla and PNP Chief Gen. Melencio Nartatez both noted that the May 13 occurrence was a "gun-related" incident.
This contrasts with Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano's statements, in which he asserted that the Senate was under attack.
Ballistics report
Nartatez, citing a report from the PNP's Scene of the Crime Operatives, said that 44 fired cartridges were recovered from inside the Senate building and the outdoor walkway area near the next-door Government Service Insurance System complex.
Police found five pieces of 5.56mm near the GSIS canteen, three pieces of 9mm, five pieces of metallic fragments, and three pieces of lead core. From inside the Senate building, authorities recovered nine pieces of cal .40, 27 pieces of 9mm, and one 9mm cartridge.
Four probable shooters were named: the Office of the Sergeant-At-Arms' Charlie Dumalo Montilla, Joemil Salazar Ledesma, and Acting SAA retired PMGen. Mao Aplasca, as well as NBI Senior Agent Darwin Nicomedes Francisco.
There were seven bullet holes in the exit door and 15 bullet holes in the glass window—all of which came from inside the Senate building.
"On the outside, wala tayong makikitang bullet hole going inside the building," the PNP chief said.
Remulla and Nartatez also presented CCTV footage showing the NBI agent withdrawing after warning shots were fired from inside the Senate.
"Because he was being fired upon, he discharged a cover fire," the SILG said, noting that the muzzle of the NBI agent was not pointed at the Senate. "The cover fire was because he was under the impression that he was under attack."
Aplasca was called to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group to submit his firearm, but he "refused" to appear.
Twenty-three empty shells were not accounted for at the scene, but Nartatez said that they came from one firearm.
The PNP has turned over the records of the investigation to DOJ Sec. Fredderick Vida.
Senate shooting
The Senate has been under intense scrutiny since May 11, when Sen. Bato Dela Rosa showed up after a six-month absence to help unseat former Senate President Tito Sotto and replace him with newly elected Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano.
With NBI agents in the Senate premises to reportedly serve Dela Rosa an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity, Cayetano declared a Senate lockdown and placed Dela Rosa under protective custody.
The senator served as the PNP chief during former president Rodrigo Duterte's term, allegedly helping him carry out the so-called drug war, for which Duterte is awaiting trial at The Hague. Duterte is charged with three counts of murder as crimes against humanity. Dela Rosa has been identified as one of Duterte's co-perpetrators and is now on the ICC wanted list.
Amid mounting calls for Dela Rosa to face the warrant, tensions came to a head the night of May 13, when gunfire erupted on the second floor of the Senate. Although NBI volunteer driver Mel Oragon was eventually arrested for the shots, Aplasca admitted it was the OSAA who first fired warning shots to scare off NBI agents.
Dela Rosa left the Senate building early morning of May 14. He is currently at large.
