Palace: Senate sergeant-at-arms fired first, NBI 'volunteer' fired back

MANILA, Philippines (2nd update: 1:18 p.m.) — Malacañang on Thursday, May 14, said Senate Sergeant-at-Arms retired Police Maj. Gen. Mao Aplasca fired the first warning shot in Wednesday night's gunfire inside the Senate, which prompted one of the National Bureau of Investigation's "volunteers" to fire back.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro laid out the sequence of events from last night's events, at a press briefing with Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag.

As of Thursday morning, Matibag confirmed the NBI has yet to verify reports that Dela Rosa — wanted by the International Criminal Court — was able to slip out of the Senate compound early Thursday morning. 

'Volunteer' driver fired the shot

Matibag identified the person who fired his gun after Aplasca's warning shot as a certain Mel Oragon. The NBI chief said this person is not an official NBI employee but a "volunteer" working as a driver for NBI agents dispatched that night to the adjoining Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) building.

"He's not an official employee of the NBI. But when I did my own investigation, it turned out that he's a volunteer with the agents," Matibag said in mixed English and Filipino.

The NBI chief said the bureau routinely uses "force multipliers" — volunteers and assets — during operations because of personnel shortages. He did not say whether Oragon was authorized to be armed. 

NBI there upon GSIS' request

According to Castro's explanation, NBI agents had been deployed to the GSIS premises at the 6 p.m. request of GSIS President and General Manager Wick Veloso to help secure the building.

The Senate leases portions of the GSIS property, and a bridge connects the two offices. The key to the door from the Senate side is held by the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA).

When OSAA personnel spotted an NBI agent seated beside a Blue Guard near the bridge, Castro said, they "geared up" in vests and approached. After the NBI agent identified himself, Aplasca himself fired a warning shot, and the NBI volunteer fired back.

"Walang assault na ginawa ang NBI agents sa Senado. At pangalawa, walang operasyon ang NBI o PNP na arestuhin si Senator Bato," Castro said.

(No assault was committed by NBI agents at the Senate. And secondly, there is no operation by the NBI or PNP to arrest Senator Bato.)

Matibag also sought to clear up confusion over a viral footage showing NBI personnel drilling at a door, which fueled speculation of a forced entry in the Senate premises.

He said the drilling was done to seal off the access point between the Senate and GSIS at Veloso's request, after the GSIS chief raised concerns that unauthorized people were entering through the bridge.

"The people who are wearing the gear are drilling, not for assault," he said. "It's so that you can't pass through that area."

Staged?

Asked whether the entire Senate chaos was staged — a theory now circulating online — Matibag declined to make conclusions but said it would be part of the investigation.

Nartatez said the PNP had identified about 20 personalities present that night and would match their statements against CCTV footage, shells, and other physical evidence.

The case is being investigated by the Pasay City Police Station in coordination with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group. 

At least 30 rounds fired

The PNP chief said investigators estimated that "not less than 30" rounds were fired inside the Senate that night, a figure that will be verified against CCTV footage and empty shells recovered by SOCO operatives.

Matibag said his NBI personnel's own recollection was that he fired around six warning shots.

The NBI personnel then fled the area together with the GSIS Blue Guard beside him. Matibag said he was "holding" the NBI personnel and his firearm to turn them over to the PNP for investigation.