MANILA, Philippines — Senate Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III has pushed for the convening of the Senate committee of the whole to investigate the May 13 shooting incident in the Senate.
During session yesterday, Sotto proposed the move after Sen. Pia Cayetano broke down over Sen. Risa Hontiveros’ remark during her privilege speech that “it was as if nothing had happened.”
“This particular issue should be referred to the committee of the whole, the reason being it’s one extraordinary remedy necessary because the Senate’s institutional security itself is affected,” Sotto said of his proposal to involve multiple Senate committees to investigate the incident.
Sen. Raffy Tulfo, meanwhile, proposed to institutionalize clear operational protocols for the Senate office of the sergeant-at-arms (OSAA) through mandatory training programs and a formal operations manual following the shooting incident inside the legislative building.
Filing Senate Resolution 402 yesterday, Tulfo cited massive operational and procedural failures during the May 13 armed confrontation between OSAA personnel and agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
“Reports regarding confusion during the incident, including alleged warning shots, lockdown procedures, movement control and differing accounts from involved parties, underscore the necessity for clearer operational standards, updated coordination mechanisms and institutionalized protocols governing interactions between the OSAA and external law enforcement agencies,” Tulfo said.
To prevent similar incidents, Tulfo stressed the need for strict guidelines on the use of force, command responsibility, emergency procedures, evacuation measures and coordination with law enforcement agencies.
“It is imperative for the Senate to institutionalize a professionalized operational framework that clearly defines protocols, command responsibility, communication systems, use-of-force guidelines, emergency procedures, evacuation procedures, coordination mechanisms with law enforcement agencies and standards of conduct for all OSAA personnel,” he said.
‘Bato left with Padilla’
As the investigation continued, the Department of the Interior and Local Government yesterday released three video clips showing three individuals leaving the Senate building and descending into the parking area at around 2:30 a.m. on May 14, hours after the shooting incident.
DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla identified the individuals as Senators Robin Padilla and Bato dela Rosa, along with an unidentified woman believed to be an assistant.
“We are sure of Sen. Robin Padilla... we have positively identified (the car as) belonging to him through the LTO (Land Transportation Office),” Remulla said.
“They boarded the white SUV, confirmed to be owned by Sen. Padilla. They proceeded outside, unimpeded and headed towards the Makati area as of 2:32 a.m. as caught by the city cameras,” he added.
Asked whether Padilla could now be considered an accomplice of Dela Rosa, Remulla replied: “That’s up to the secretary of justice to determine. They are now gathering the facts. And whatever charges will be filed will be up to the SOJ.”
Sought for comment, Palace press officer Claire Castro reiterated that those who are accountable should be held to account.
“On whether we would consider it as an escape, we won’t come up with a decision or a judgment on it. But the President thinks it was not right,” Castro said in an interview at Malacañang.
Castro said the Senate should answer why Dela Rosa was allowed to exit its premises even if he was under its protective custody.
“The NBI held on to it (protective custody) when they were talking (to the Senate) and because of that resolution, the NBI did not move,” the Palace press officer said. “Now, they have left and Sen. Bato dela Rosa is no longer under the protective custody of the Senate. We will ask why the Senate allowed it.”
Spliced?
Following the release of the clips, suspended Senate sergeant-at-arms Mao Aplasca appeared at the Senate ahead of yesterday’s session and claimed that the CCTV footage of the shooting incident released by Malacañang was “spliced to support their own narrative.”
“It is not true that we are withholding evidence,” Aplasca said. “We are preparing the complete videos because what they did was splice the videos. They just selected the footage that would support their narrative. And I think that’s not correct.
“They said there was no attack. We will show you. Give us a little time,” he added in a mix of English and Filipino.
He alleged that the footage released by the DILG and the PNP had been spliced to support claims that the Senate was not under attack by NBI agents allegedly out to serve the International Criminal Court arrest warrant against Dela Rosa.
The DILG denied Aplasca’s claim, saying: “Everything has a time stamp so it couldn’t have been spliced. Those were direct from CCTV cameras of the Senate, their servers.”
The PNP submitted to the Department of Justice (DOJ) yesterday the results of its probe into the shooting incident.
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group has recommended the filing of criminal complaints against Aplasca and two OSAA personnel – Joemil Ledesma and Charlie Montilla – for their actions
CIDG director Maj. Gen. Robert Alexander Morico II declined to comment on whether the shooting senator to escape from authorities, saying: “Answering that is above my paygrade.” – Neil Jayson Servallos, Emmanuel Tupas, Alexis Romero