He directed authorities to ensure that the investigation is conducted in a fair, impartial, and truthful manner.
During the Palace Press Briefing on Thursday (May 14), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) director Melvin Matibag and the Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. faced the media following the incident at the Senate on Wednesday night.
During which, they confirmed that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed both agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into the armed incident at the Senate.
Matibag confirmed that he attended a meeting convened by Marcos to receive updates on the Senate incident.
“Opo, meron po kaming pagpupulong (kasama si Presidente) na sa nangyari po kahapon…(Naging bilin) siguraduhin ang imbestigasyon ay makatotohanan at parehas at lumabas kung sino talaga ang may mga pananagutan,” he said.
“At siguraduhin na tawagin at pananagutin yung mga taong may dapat na panagutan sa pangyayaring ito.”
For the side of the PNP, Nartatez said they would also coordinate with proper authorities to get to the bottom of the Senate incident.
“We are coordinating such that we can go into the bottom of this case and the personalities who are involved should be accounted and/or fully investigated, not only for the NBI but, of course, including the personalities, especially security personnel at the building of the GSIS, as well as the GSIS building being occupied by the Senate security led by the sergeant-at-arms,” the police chief said.
DETAILED ACCOUNT OF EVENTS FROM THE PALACE’S POINT OF VIEW
Meanwhile, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro also gacr a detailed account of the sequence of events surrounding the Senate incident on May 13, saying it stemmed from heightened tensions following reports of a possible arrest of Senator Ronald Dela Rosa.
Castro said Dela Rosa conducted a livestream around 4:00 pm, where the senator claimed that he might be arrested, which was followed by a statement from the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms led by Mao Aplasca, indicating that an arrest could take place within the Senate.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) confirmed last Tuesday (May 12) that dela Rosa has a warrant of arrest for alleged crime against humanity over the death of suspected drug users during his term as PNP chief starting in 2016.
Shortly after that, Senate security personnel fitst reported spotting NBI agents within the nearby Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) building, which shares an access point with Senate offices.
Castro said GSIS General Manager Wick Veloso had requested assistance from the NBI to secure its premises, prompting the deployment of agents around 6:00 pm.
“Walang operasyon ang NBI o PNP na arestuhin si Senator Bato,” Castro affirmed the earlier pronouncement of President Marcos that there was no instruction to arrest the senator that day.
Castro said upon confirming the presence of NBI agents near the GSIS-Senate access bridge, Senate security personnel reportedly went on alert.
When an NBI agent identified himself near the bridge, Aplasca allegedly fired a warning shot, prompting the agent to also discharge a warning shot in response.
Matibag said the NBI and the PNP have asked the Senate authorities to share CCTV footage inside the Senate building for their review.
He also said that part of the investigation involved three separate occasions—first, when dela Rosa was not intercepted at a Senate stairwell; second, during the commotion on Wednesday, when the senator remained inside his office; and third, when he was able to leave the Senate premises without the NBI confirming his whereabouts.
“Kaya nga po ako humihiling ng buong kopya ng CCTV mula noong dumating siya sa parking, kung kanino siya nakasakay na sasakyan hanggang sa pumasok dahil ang nakita na lang nating video ay iyong takbuhan na lang eh, iyong habulan,” with Matibag referring to the chase inside the building and into the stairwell.
“Hindi po naipakita roon na magsi-serve na ng warrant, kakausapin na po si Senator Bato; tinackle [tackle] niya po iyong babaeng ahente, kaya po nagkaroon ng takbuhan,” the NBI chief added.
Matibag also noted that when the Senate declared that Dela Rosa was under its protective custody, the NBI agents chose to respect the decision.
“Noong nagdeklara po ang Senado ng protective custody nila si Senator Bato, minabuti po namin na irespeto iyong sinabi na iyon ng Senado sapagkat ang respeto po natin sa co-equal branch po ng executive ay nandoon,” he told.
RESULTS TO BE PUBLICIZED
The NBI then assured that the results of its investigation into the reported shooting incident inside the Senate building on Wednesday night would be made public.
During a Palace press briefing, Matibag said the bureau would not draw any conclusions on the commotion that occurred in the Senate pending further investigation.
When asked whether the probe was pursuing the angle that the incident was staged, he answered: “Iyan ay bahagi pa ng ating ongoing investigation.”
“We’d rather not draw a conclusion sa isang ongoing investigation. But rest assured that we have the final result of the investigation ay ipapaalam natin ito sa publiko,” he added.
For his part, Nartatez. said that they are coordinating with the NBI to conduct the investigation and get to the bottom of the casez with the investigation set to account for the armed personnel and identifying the security forces present at the Senate premises and the adjacent area.
“One by one, we are accounting them as well as the usual interview in investigation – nanguna na of course ang ating OSAA (Office of Sergeant-at-Arms) and of course ang ating NBI nandito, and they fully cooperate, especially in the usual investigation. These statements will be ikukumpara natin sa mga ebidensiya, like for example, physical evidence, the empty shells, lalo na iyong ating CCTV footage,” he added.
MARCOS STATEMENT
In a video message after the incident at the Senate building, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appealed for calm as he called for a thorough inquiry.
He also said that no government forces were ordered to enter the Senate premises or carry out any operation in the Upper Chamber, amid the reported arrest of Dela Rosa…
“Mga dalawang oras at kalahati ko nang mino-monitor ang sitwasyon. At noong una kong nabalitaan na nagputukan, ang una kong tinawagan ay si Sec. Jonvic Remulla ng DILG. At tinanong ko, magpa-report ka sa mga pulis na nandoon na kung may nangyari, kung mayroon silang ginawa,” President Marcos said.
The Chief Executive also noted that he also reached out to the National Bureau of Investigation to confirm whether its agents were involved.
“At tapos ang sunod na tawag ko naman ay sa NBI. At tinanong ko sa mga NBI at kay Director Matibag, eh kayo ba ay pumasok sa Senado? Sabi niya, “Wala. Wala kang instruction. Ang sabi sa akin, wala kang instruction, sir. Kaya ba’t namin gagawin ‘yun?” President Marcos said.
The President then clarified that uniformed personnel seen inside the Senate were part of regular security forces assigned to the premises.
“Yung nakikita po ninyo na nakauniporme sa loob – sa mga news, ang mga nakauniporme doon, dalawang klase. Iyong PNP police na naka-duty sa Senado. Nandoon sila para bantayan ang Senado, para mag-crowd control, para maging secure ang Senado.”
Meanwhile, the other side, he explained, “Iyong isa pang nakauniporme ay ‘yung Marines, may Marine detachment na nandoon talaga sa Senado, taga-doon sila,”
The President added that other armed individuals seen were part of the Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA).
“Iyong isa pang nakita ninyong grupo nakasibilyan at may hawak na mga mahahaba, mga OSAA ‘yun, ‘yun naman sa Sergeant-at-Arms ng Senado. So lahat ng nakikita ninyong nakauniporme o armado ay taga-doon. Nandoon sila talaga. Doon sila nag-du-duty.”
The President also said that no directive was made to arrest Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.
“Wala pong instruction kahit na kanino na hulihin si Senator Bato. At ang nangyari ang NBI ay sinabihan ko noong lumabas ‘yung resolution ng Supreme Court, mga alas kwatro ‘yun kaninang hapon, ay sinabi ko, “umalis na kayo diyan.” Nag-comply naman sila,” the President said, noting that NBI personnel had already left the area prior to the shooting incident.
Marcos also said that he had already spoken with Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano and agreed to call for calm while authorities investigate the incident.
He then assured that a joint investigation by the Senate and the Philippine National Police would determine whether the incident was an isolated encounter or a deliberate attempt to cause disruption.
“At masasabi ko lang at para hindi po mag-aalala ang taong-bayan, hindi po gobyerno ang gumawa nito. Walang pumasok na taga-labas na sundalo, na militar, na NBI sa Senado. Hindi po natin alam kung sino ‘yun na sumubok na pumasok at dahil doon ay nagkaputukan. Aalamin po natin.”