Amid calls for an investigation, the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA) said on Friday, May 15, that it could not locate closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage showing the movements of its personnel and Marines during the recent shooting incident inside the Senate complex.
In a radio interview, OSAA chief Mao Aplasca said he personally ordered a review of available CCTV recordings following the incident.
“So yesterday, pinareview ko yung mga CCTV. So wala po kaming mahanap doon sa area ng position po ng mga OSAA at Marines,” Aplasca said.
According to him, the footage only captured the tail end of their tactical personnel formation.
“Nakikita po natin yung nasa dulo na po, sa buntot na po ng aming mga tactical personnel,” he added.
When asked whether CCTV footage existed showing the movements of National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) personnel but not those of the OSAA, Aplasca reiterated that no recordings of Senate security personnel had been found.
“Sabi ko nga, wala kaming mahanap na kuha ng mga galaw ng mga OSAA,” he said.
The shooting incident occurred within the Senate premises on Wednesday, May 13, amid rumors of Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa’s arrest. The circumstances behind the gunfire remain unclear.
In a text message to Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the NBI had no warrant to serve against Dela Rosa and had merely been requested by Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) General Manager Wick Velasco to help secure the Senate building.
Remulla said the request was made at around 5:09 p.m., with 21 NBI personnel arriving at approximately 6:15 p.m.
They were reportedly deployed across different floors to secure the GSIS area within the Senate complex.
According to Remulla, one NBI agent identified as “Agent Francisco” was seated on the second-floor bridgeway with a security guard when Aplasca confronted him.
“Sino ka?” Aplasca reportedly asked.
Francisco allegedly stood up carrying an AR-15 rifle slung sideways. Remulla said Aplasca immediately fired a warning shot, prompting Francisco to fire upward.
Remulla added that OSAA personnel discharged 27 rounds from 9mm and .40 caliber firearms, while the NBI agent fired five rounds before fleeing the scene. (Dhel Nazario)
