Ombudsman dismisses ex-Sergeant-at-arms Mao Aplasca
Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla has signed the dismissal order against former Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca.
Remulla confirmed the development on Saturday, July 4.
"Noong Monday, napirmahan ko na yung dismissal ni Mao Aplasca from the service,” Remulla said during DZRH’s Executive Session on Saturday. “Na-dismiss na namin siya from the service.”
The ombudsman has not yet disclosed the reason behind the dismissal order. He said the full ruling will be released this week so the public can review the basis for the decision.
“I-rereveal namin ang decision this week para makita ng tao,” he said. “Ibibigay namin sa media, ipupublish namin," he said.
Aplasca had been on a six-month unpaid preventive suspension since May 15, over his involvement in the May 13 shooting incident inside the Senate.
He was permanently replaced as acting Senate sergeant-at-arms by retired Police Major General Alfredo Sotto Corpuz on June 3.
Aplasca came under scrutiny after firing at National Bureau of Investigation agents attempting to arrest Senator Bato Dela Rosa on May 13 over crimes against humanity charges before the International Criminal Court. He has admitted it was the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms that fired first; a total of 27 "warning shots."
Hours later, Dela Rosa escaped from the Senate and remains at large as of this writing.
He claimed that the CCTV footage released by Malacañang had been "spliced" to support its own narrative, after the Department of the Interior and Local Government said there had been "no attack" on the Senate.
