Senate standoff: 2 sides tell different stories

It’s a kind of violence that has never been seen in the Senate, so how exactly did it happen? 

Two sides are presenting their narratives on the gunfire that transpired in the Senate on May 13. On one end, there’s the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), whose version of events is echoed by the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

On the other end, there is a version of the Senate, led by Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, a critic of the President and ally of the Dutertes. His report, he said, is heavily based on information also provided by Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla.

These are a few things that two camps agree on.

For one, it is established that NBI agents were present at the GSIS office adjacent to the Senate building. Both offices are located within the GSIS complex in Pasay City, where the Senate has been leasing part of the property since 1997.

Below are where their narratives diverge.

Play Video

NBI’s presence

NBI’s narrative: NBI chief Melvin Matibag said in a Palace press conference their agents were deployed to the GSIS premises past 6 pm upon the request for security assistance of GSIS General Manager Wick Veloso. The latter reportedly raised concerns over unauthorized individuals entering GSIS premises through an access point from the Senate.

The NBI was with some journalists from ABS-CBN, TV5, and GMA7 who covered the operation. They had footage of NBI agents drilling a hole, but Matibag insisted this was not proof of “assault” by NBI. He said NBI agents were trying to forcibly remove a lock because it was supposedly the Senate Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA) which had the key. After removing the door lock, NBI agents blocked the door with metal cabinets. 

OSAA narrative: In an interview with GMA’s 24 Oras, Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca said that he received reports about the presence of NBI agents inside the GSIS complex in the morning of May 13. He claimed that CCTV footage confirmed this. He also supposedly personally verified their presence at the GSIS gate.

Cayetano said in a press conference that the presence of armed men and the drilling were interpreted as as an attempt to breach the Senate premises.

Pre-gunfire behavior

Both camps place the encounter site on the bridge on the second floor connecting both GSIS and the Senate.

NBI’s narrative: Palace Press Officer Claire Castro reported that one NBI agent and a GSIS guard were sitting peacefully when they saw OSAA personnel, who were wearing vests and who then immediately prepared for an operation.

OSAA narrative: From Aplasca’s point of view, they were alarmed that NBI agents were fully armed, as supposedly confirmed by their CCTV footage (which has yet to be released to the public). He said he was referring to NBI agents when he told reporters minutes before the gunfire that an arrest was going to be made.

Escalation

Both camps confirmed that the individual/s in the GSIS area identified themselves as NBI agents when asked by the OSAA.

NBI’s narrative: Aplasca fired a warning shot despite the NBI providing identification, according to Castro.

OSAA narrative: Cayetano said Aplasca only fired a warning shot after the NBI agents refused to back down from their verbal challenge and instead raised their long firearm toward the OSAA’s direction.

Gunfire

It remains unclear how many NBI agents participated in the gunfire.

NBI’s narrative: Matibag kept on referring to a single agent — identified as Agent “Francisco” — who was “forced” to fire back. Matibag said that his agent recalled firing around six warning shots.

Matibag downplayed the NBI’s involvement in the gunfire, saying the heavy barrage came from OSAA side. He also focused on the supposed swift retreat of the agent.

OSAA narrative: While Cayetano’s report focused heavily on Agent Francisco, the broader OSAA narrative appeared to indicate that multiple people on the NBI side were involved in the standoff. Aplasca referred to NBI agents (plural) during the gunfire, which he said, lasted three minutes. He said that the NBI agents “retaliated” after he fired a warning shot.

Cayetano said Francisco discharged five rounds. He added that OSAA discharged 27 rounds of 9 mm and four TSWs, prompting Francisco to “flee” the scene.

Intention

NBI’s narrative: Matibag said his NBI agents share the sentiment that the gunfire was “staged” to let Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa escape — which he successfully did, just a few hours after the standoff.

Play Video

OSAA narrative: Cayetano rejected claims that the standoff was a diversionary tactic, and insisted that the gunfire was an attack on the Senate. Aplasca found suspicious that NBI agents did not coordinate with OSAA about their presence in the adjacent GSIS premises, as well as their drilling into locks of the exit door that connects GSIS and Senate offices.

Play Video

Search for answers

The conflicting narratives offer more questions than answers. Why did Veloso specifically request the NBI to secure the GSIS exit door? Why did the OSAA fire so many gunshots? Why did the incident result in the convenient escape of Dela Rosa?

CCTV footage — if they will be released to the public — should provide clarity. – Rappler.com