'Totoo': OSAA admits they fired first in Senate shooting on May 13
Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca admitted it was his team, not NBI agents, that fired first the night of May 13 inside the Senate.
In an interview with GMA's 24 Oras on Thursday, May 14, Aplasca denied the shooting was staged.
"Mahirap yata sabihin na staged 'yung nangyari dito dahil hindi ko naman puwedeng i-stage 'yun," Aplasca said. "Wala naman kaming control sa mga NBI agents. Kung hindi sila dumating dito, wala pong mangyayaring barilan, putukan kung wala sila dito sa premises ng Senate."
Past 7:30 p.m. on May 13, over 20 gunshots were heard inside the Senate building. That night, Sen. Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa was holed up with members of the Senate majority in the premises. Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano placed Dela Rosa under the Senate's protective custody on May 11 following efforts of the NBI to serve him an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity.
Asked to confirm if the OSAA fired the first shot on May 13, Aplasca said the reports were true.
"Totoo po naman, Mel, 'no," he said. "Ito po ay kasama sa aming standard operation."
He explained that his team received reports of armed NBI agents seen around the Senate building since the morning of May 13. According to him, Aplasca personally verified that there were armed NBI agents by the Senate's second-floor exit.
"Kaya as part of our procedure ay chinallenge namin [sila]," Aplasca said. "'Yung aming procedure of continuum use of force. Unang una, verbal warning. Chinallenge namin kung sino sila. Sumagot naman na they are NBI agents. Pero nu'ng sinabi namin na bakit kayo armado, ibaba niyo 'yung mga baril niyo, instead of lowering down the firearm, itinaas 'yung baril, kaya nagpaputok kami ng warning shot."
"Pagkatapos po ng nagpaputok kami ng warning shot, ine-expect namin na ibaba nila 'yung weapons, but instead, gumanti sila ng pagbabaril sa amin, kaya napaatras kami nang konti at doon na, tuloy-tuloy na 'yung exchange of gunfire," Aplasca said.
Moments before the shooting, video footage taken by ABS-CBN News' Zyann Ambrosio showed NBI agents rushing out of the GSIS building, to which the Senate is connected by a bridgeway. Crouching by the GSIS entrance, agents tried to pinpoint where the shots were coming from. Once they determined the shooting was happening in the Senate building, they held their weapons ready but did not fire a shot.
NBI Director Melvin Matibag has confirmed there were no armed NBI agents in the Senate premises that night.
By May 14, Dela Rosa was no longer within Senate premises, as confirmed by Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano.
Bato asks for PNP's help
Aplasca also confirmed with media that Dela Rosa asked to be placed under the custody of the Philippine National Police.
According to Aplasca, Dela Rosa made the decision after meeting with Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla and PNP Chief Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. While they were taking, Dela Rosa allegedly broached the idea of being placed under PNP custody instead of the Senate, even suggesting Nartatez could give him a room in the White House at Camp Crame. Apparently, the senator was worried about his safety inside the Senate building.
The White House serves as the home for the incumbent PNP chief and his family.
However, Dela Rosa did not make a formal request, nor was there a formal transfer arrangement between the Senate and PNP.
Nartatez apparently took Dela Rosa's suggestion as a joke and chuckled as he said Dela Rosa could stay inside the PNP Custodial Center instead.
Dela Rosa 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.
