Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said on Tuesday that "all evidence points to there being no attack on the Senate" during the May 13 shooting incident.
During a press briefing on Tuesday, May 19, Remulla said that a six-day investigation conducted by authorities found no evidence of an attack on the Senate building in Pasay City.
“Gusto ko pong isaad na pagkatapos ng anim na araw na masusing pag-iimbestigasyon, pag hagilap po ng lahat ng available videos, interviews at affidavits ay marami po kaming konklusyon na nakuha,” Remulla said.
“All evidence points to [the fact] that there was no attack on the Senate,” he emphasized.
Remulla's statement runs contrary to the earlier claim of Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, who initially described the incident as an "attack" on the Senate premises.
Meanwhile, Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said the incident has been classified as a ‘gun-related incident’ and not a shootout, as earlier reported.
During a press briefing, authorities presented the results of their investigation, including a full chronology of events supported by CCTV footage captured before, during, and after the incident. PNP Chief Nartatez also outlined the detailed timeline of the incident.
Authorities said 29 agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) entered the GSIS building at around 6:17 p.m. on May 13.
Remulla noted that the agents were not wearing tactical gear when they entered the premises.
"None of the NBI agents had tactical gear with them... They did not have a battering ram, they did not have provisions...to breach any door," Remulla said.
The incident escalated after the Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA), led by retired Police Maj. Gen. Mao Aplasca reportedly fired at least 27 warning shots, which were answered by five shots fired by NBI personnel. The exchange caused commotion and alarm inside the Senate complex.
Nartatez also clarified that loud drilling sounds heard during the incident were part of ongoing repair work and not related to any security breach. Remulla emphasized that Senate personnel were 'duly informed' in advance about the drilling operation on the doors of the GSIS building connected to the Senate premises
"All entrances from [the] Senate to GSIS since early in the morning were being fortified by the GSIS maintenance. They had duly informed the maintenance of the Senate that there was gonna be drill work going on in all the doors of the GSIS connecting to the Senate," Remulla said.
"Hindi gulatan ito... They were duly informed," he said.
Remulla further said that GSIS President and General Manager Wick Veloso requested assistance from the NBI to help secure the GSIS premises amid rising tensions, citing the need for additional security amid fears that the disturbance could spill over, following Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa’s call for supporters to hold a prayer vigil at the Senate.
The DILG also detailed that the NBI deployment was intended to help protect valuable assets, including artworks housed within GSIS facilities, in case tensions at the Senate escalated.
