The Senate building after a shooting incident on May 13, 2026. Darylle Sarmiento, ABS-CBN News
MANILA (2ND UPDATE) — The Office of the Ombudsman has placed Mao Aplasca, the Senate's acting sergeant-at-arms, on preventive suspension for six months over the gunfire incident at the chamber last Wednesday night.
Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said the suspension, which is without pay, is meant to "make it easier for us to get to the bottom of this."
Senate OSAA says presence of NBI agents triggered gunfire
Aplasca, a former police general, has admitted that he was the first to fire — a warning shot, he said — when he spotted a National Bureau of Investigation agent he said was already in the Senate premises.
The NBI has said its people were on the Government Service Insurance System side of the complex, part of which the Senate leases.
"Hindi tayo puwede maglagay ng tao na maaring maka-impluwensya sa mga bagay na kailangan nating mabungkal," Remulla said, saying the suspension is meant to prevent "undue influence" in the investigation.
(We cannot leave someone there who could influence things we need to uncover)
He added the investigation will look into the NBI, the Senate's Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms and the Philippine National Police that also had personnel in the area.
Sergeant-at-arms: Senate cannot impose protective custody on Bato
Remulla — brother of Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, who has administrative control of the police — said the gunfire incident in a government office was unacceptable and that Aplasca fired first was worrisome.
"'Yung papaputukan mo, law enforcement? Ano 'yun, mas mataas ba siya sa law enforcement?" he stressed.
(You fire your gun at law enforcement? Is he higher than law enforcement?)
He said the sergeant-at-arms is meant to enforce Senate rules and that Aplasca's actions should not be tolerated.
Remulla said the Office of the Ombudsman will also talk to senators about the incident.
SUBPOENAS TO BE ISSUED
Remulla said subpoenas will be issued as early as next week against everyone present before and during the incident at the Senate.
He said they are also requesting affidavits from members of the media who covered the incident.
Remulla added that he had issued subpoenas for the Senate’s CCTV footage and would also seek footage from media networks that covered the events, in order to establish a clearer timeline of what transpired during the gunfire incident.
The Ombudsman said those involved in the gunfire incident and those who allegedly helped Sen. Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa escape could face charges of obstruction of justice, failure to maintain public order and safety, aiding and abetting a criminal or fugitive from justice, and gross neglect of duty.
Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano has said he doesn't recognize the ICC warrant, so there was nothing to "escape" from.
CAYETANO WANTS MATIBAG ALSO SUSPENDED
Cayetano also said that if the preventive suspension order is valid, the Senate must be notified so it can designate a replacement for the sergeant-at-arms.
“There is a duty to inform us so that we can replace, so that we can make sure na safe ang Senado,” Cayetano said.
Cayetano also insisted that the Ombudsman should also place NBI Director Melvin Matibag under preventive suspension, whom he accused of giving “false narratives” regarding the incident inside the Senate.
“Let me just appeal to the Ombudsman, suspend also the NBI Director because he is more a suspect than General Mao dito. We do not want to set a bad example in the independent investigation and we do not want to put the Senate in harm's way,” he said.
The Senate chief further denied allegations that the sudden change in Senate leadership was meant to derail the impeachment process against Vice President Sara Duterte.
“We received the impeachment sa gitna ng kaguluhan Wednesday night. I signed the letter… at nakalagay sa sulat na ayon po sa rules ng Senado kasama sa Order of Business sa Monday. Therefore, we can already convene as an impeachment court on Monday,” Cayetano said.
“So lahat po ng kinakalat nila na ito po’y lahat na nagaganap para protektahan lang po ang isang tao ay hindi katotohanan… hindi po kami magko-convict dahil lang po sa politika, hindi rin po kami maga-acquit dahil sa politika,” he added.
'WHAT KIND OF PERSON IS THAT?'
The gunfire incident on Wednesday happened after dela Rosa, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court, called on his supporters to come to the Senate.
He said then that he had received information that the police and the National Bureau of Investigation were on the way to arrest him.
Dela Rosa left the Senate before dawn on Thursday.
Remulla also took a swipe at the senator, who he said should face the allegations against him.
"Anong klaseng tao yan? Ganyan ba dapat maging senador natin? Tumatakbo sa batas? Is that the hero we want to portray… Flight is an indication of guilt.”
(What kind of person is that? is that the kind of person we want as a senator? One who runs from the law?)