Philippine Senate probe launched into security guards after May 13 shooting
Authorities have referred the incident to the Department of Justice, noting that CCTV footage shows Mao Aplasca firing a rifle, though he has yet to comply with weapon testing requests.
Philippine authorities are investigating Senate security officers following a shooting incident on May 13 inside the legislative building, where Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca discharged his weapon without provocation. Interior Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla confirmed on Tuesday that the event was not an attack on the Senate, stating that there were no individuals in the immediate vicinity when the shots were fired.
National Police chief Jose Melencio Nartatez reported that investigators recovered 44 fired cartridges traced to four firearms. CCTV footage subpoenaed by investigators appears to show Aplasca firing a rifle, yet he has not complied with a request to have his weapon tested during a police inquiry. Remulla noted that the president has been informed of the findings but has not yet issued instructions regarding the matter.
The shooting occurred as Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, a former police chief and ally of ex-President Rodrigo Duterte, sought refuge in the building. Dela Rosa had taken shelter on May 11 after the International Criminal Court unsealed an arrest warrant for him on suspicion of crimes against humanity. He is a central figure in Duterte’s war on drugs, which involved thousands of extrajudicial killings, while Duterte himself is awaiting trial in The Hague.
Nartatez stated that Dela Rosa eventually left the legislative building and entered a vehicle registered to his ally, Senator Robin Padilla. The car departed for an unknown destination, prompting armed soldiers to storm the Senate later that day in a failed attempt to arrest the senator. Remulla emphasised that government agents never entered the Senate building during the incident.
The case has been referred to the Department of Justice for further investigation. Remulla reiterated that all evidence points to the conclusion that there was no attack on the Senate, as the security personnel acted independently while the senator was present.
