Senate shooting, lockdown: What went down

Seven gunshots rang out at the Senate premises on Wednesday evening, worsening an already-tense situation at the building which was earlier placed under lockdown in order to affect an arrest.

According to Jamie Santos’ report on “Saksi,” the tense situation lasted for more than two hours.

At around 7:30 p.m., acting Senate sergeant-at-arms and retired Police Major General Mao Aplasca announced that they will implement an arrest, without naming the subject.

“We are going to arrest somebody… Please clear the area. Clear the area!” Aplasca told reporters.

From the elevated alert level that was in place at that time, the Senate building was placed on lockdown. The Office of the Senate Sergeant-At-Arms advised everyone who wished to leave to exit the building.

The roll-up doors of the Senate building were then closed.

Personnel of the OSAA were seen donning their full battle gear and bulletproof vests. Uniformed soldiers also arrived on the scene.

Aplasca was asked who will be arrested but he declined to share details.

Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa – who is under the Senate’s protective custody amid an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) – was also seen with his staff as they boarded an elevator. He came from the office of Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano.

A few minutes later, reporters heard noises coming from what seemed to be a grinder. The noises came from behind a door of the Senate premises that was adjacent to the building of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).

The OSAA received information that unknown persons were allegedly attempting to enter the Senate building.

At past 7:30 p.m. the OSAA confirmed that staff of House Secretary General Cheloy Garafil arrived at the upper chamber to bring the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte.

Moments later, seven gunshots rang out from the second floor of the Senate building, prompting people to run to safety.

In his Facebook Livestream, Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano confirmed that there was indeed a shooting incident at the Senate but it was still unclear who fired the shots.

“I’m in the Senate with the other senators, we are having a caucus, nabalitaan po namin na allegedly may mga taga-NBI na gustong pumasok. Nakita na nagbabarena ng pinto galing sa, ng walls, galing doon sa GSIS side,” Cayetano said.

(I’m in the Senate with the other senators, we are having a caucus, we heard that there were alleged NBI personnel who wanted to enter the Senate. There was apparently some drilling at the door or walls from the GSIS side.)

“We have our security here. Nagpapasalamat kami sa PNP, outside and inside meron, narito ang Marines. But ito po ang emergency, nagkaputukan na po, may report ako from the OSAA. NBI is denying na tao nila pero nagkaputukan na. So we don’t know what’s happening. Everyone’s locked in their rooms now. We cannot go out. We cannot secure our other staff,” he added.

(We have our security here. We are thankful to the PNP, they are here outside and inside, the Marines are here. But this is the emergency, shots were fired, I have a report from the OSAA. The NBI is denying that it’s their men, but shots were fired. So we don’t know what’s happening. Everyone’s locked in their rooms now. We cannot go out. We cannot secure our staff.)

In another Facebook Live video, Cayetano said: “So again, kung sino ang nakikinig (whoever is listening) from the government, this is the Senate of the Philippines, we are allegedly under attack.”

READ: Alan Cayetano on Senate shootings: Marcos, Defense chief Teodoro said it wasn’t gov’t

Cayetano’s sister, Senator Pia Cayetano and Senate Pro Tempore Loren Legarda called up NBI director Melvin Matibag to ask for help.

“When Sen. Loren was talking to him very calm, I said, ‘What are you gonna do about this, pinuputukan kami rito?’ Sabi niya, ‘Hindi kami makalapit! Pinaalis niyo kami diyan!’ So I said, ‘Go and do your job! Make us safe! This is not good!’” Senator Pia Cayetano said.

Other senators also took to social media to express their sentiments about the tense situation at the Senate.

In a post on his social media account, Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said he was dismayed at police and security personnel outside the Senate who failed to control the crowd outside.

Sotto – who was alone and without a bodyguard – said the crowd mobbed his car as he was about to exit the Senate compound, and that protesters banged on his vehicle and pelted it with empty bottles.

Senator Imee Marcos also took to Facebook Live to criticize the situation.

“Hindi tama itong nangyayari. Kung nais nilang dakipin si Senator Bato, hindi nila dapat ipininsala ang institution ng Senado, building ng Senado at mga senador. Hindi po tama itong nangyayari at nananawagan kami sa mga opisyal kung kayo ay busy may ginagawa o ano-ano pa, pwede ba tulungan niyo kami rito at nagpapasaklolo na ang mga senador ng republika,” she said.

(What is happening is not right. If they want to arrest Bato, they should not damage the institution of the Senate, the Senate building, and senators. This is not right and we are appealing to officials, if you are busy doing something, please help us and the senators of the republic are asking for help.)

“Nandito na po si Secretary Jonvic Remulla para maimbestigahan kaagad kung ano ‘yung totoong nangyari. Kalma lang po kayo, antayin natin kung ano talaga ‘yung nangyari. Sa mga kababayan nating nakikinig, ‘wag muna kayo masyado mabahala,” Senator Christopher “Bong” Go said on his Facebook Live.

(Secretary Jonvic Remulla is here to investigate what really happened. Please be calm, let us wait for the account of what really happened. To our countrymen, please do not be alarmed.)

Senator Mark Villar asked for prayers for himself and his sister, Senator Camille Villar, as they were also inside the Senate building.

“Trapped pa rin kami sa Senate, almost two hours na yata. Tumigil na ‘yung gunfire pero kanina lakas ng putukan sa loob at nag-blackout kami… Andito pa kami kasama namin lahat ng senador pati kapatid ko si Camille, we’re safe but please pray for us,” he said.

(We’re still trapped in the Senate, for almost two hours now. The gunfire stopped but the shots were so loud earlier and there was a blackout… We are still here with all the senators, with my sister Camille, we’re safe but please pray for us.)

In a later interview, Remulla said Dela Rosa is “safe” and with security personnel following the tension and lockdown at the Senate building.

The Interior Secretary added that authorities are now doing a sweep of the Senate building and that he assured Dela Rosa that there is no warrant of arrest to be served.

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., for his part, stressed that there is no instruction to arrest Dela Rosa who is facing an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) in connection with the killings under the Duterte administration’s war on drugs. — JMA, GMA News