How the May 13, 2026 Senate shooting unravelled according to NBI, OSAA, DILG

The prelude to the shooting incident at the Senate premises on Wednesday night began with a request at 5 p.m. to secure the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) complex in Pasay City, where the upper chamber rents space for its offices.

This was based on initial incident reports from Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, the Senate’s Office of the Sergeant-At-Arms (OSAA), statements of National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) director Melvin Matibag and Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace press officer Claire Castro, and reports of GMA News.

Here is the timeline of events that led to the shooting incident at the Senate on May 13, 2026:

5:09 p.m. – In a text message, Remulla said the NBI had “no warrant to serve” and that GSIS president and general manager Jose Arnulfo “Wick” Veloso requested the NBI to secure the Senate building.

5:23 p.m. – In a Facebook video, Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa – who is facing an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) over his alleged role in the war on illegal drugs – said he received information that the NBI and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) will arrest him. He urged his supporters to go to the Senate and hold a prayer vigil to block his arrest.

6:15 p.m. – Twenty-one NBI personnel arrived and were deployed on each floor to secure the GSIS area.

7:30 p.m. – Acting Senate sergeant-at-arms and retired Police Major General Mao Aplasca announced that they will arrest an unnamed suspect and told members of the media to clear the area. The Senate was then placed under lockdown.

At around the same time, drilling sounds were heard from doors inside the Senate building. The OSAA said the doors were connected to the GSIS.

A few minutes after, the OSAA confirmed that staff of House Secretary General Cheloy Garafil arrived at the upper chamber to transmit the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte.

7:45 p.m. – In its incident report, the OSAA said OSAA personnel and members of the Quick Reaction Team inspected the exit area of the Senate’s second floor. During the ocular inspection, one of the OSAA personnel looked through a window and observed two men wearing black bulletproof vests with visible NBI markings.

According to Remulla’s text message, a certain agent Francisco was sitting on the second floor bridgeway with a security guard when Aplasca called his attention and said, “Sino ka (Who are you)?”

The agent stood up, with an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle on a sling. Aplasca allegedly immediately fired a warning shot, while the agent also pulled the trigger with the gun nozzle pointed upwards.

According to Remulla’s text message, OSAA personnel “eventually discharged 27 rounds of 9 mm and .40” while the NBI agent discharged five rounds, and “immediately fled the scene after.”

The OSAA’ s incident report, stated that they challenged the unidentified individuals, saying, “Sino yan?! (Who is that?!)” A loud male voice from outside replied, “NBI!”

Meanwhile, the OSAA report stated that one of the armed individuals was seen raising and aiming a long firearm in the direction of the OSAA, QRT, and PNP personnel.

Aplasca then ordered the armed individual to lower his firearm, but the individual allegedly failed to comply and instead “assumed a tactical position.”

This prompted the Senate sergeant-at-arms to discharge warning shots, which was followed by an exchange of gunfire from 7:46 p.m. to 7:49 p.m. After the firefight, OSAA and PNP personnel cleared and controlled the entire second floor area of the Senate.

7:58 p.m. – The alleged NBI agents fled the scene, according to the OSAA incident report.

In a press briefing with Matibag and PNP chief Police General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. on Thursday, Castro said it was Aplasca who made the first “warning shot” and that the NBI “made no assault” at the Senate.

“Noong nakita ng OSAA na mayroong NBI agents sa GSIS, katabi ng blue guard, nakita na agad na naka-gear up ang OSAA – nag-vest at naghanda sa isang operasyon. Pagdating sa bridge sa GSIS premises, tinanong ng OSAA ang NBI agent na nakaupo lamang kasama nga ang isang blue guard ng GSIS,” Castro said.

(When OSAA staff saw there were NBI agents at GSIS, next to the security guard, the OSAA staff immediately geared up – they wore vests and prepared for an operation. Upon arriving at the bridge at the GSIS premises, OSAA asked the NBI agent who was just sitting alone beside a GSIS blue guard.)

8:01 p.m. - In a Facebook Live video, Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano said the Senate is “allegedly under attack” after gunshots rang out at the second floor of the Senate amid the lockdown.

Senate Secretary General Mark Llandro Mendoza later told reporters at the Senate that “perceived” NBI agents allegedly entered the Senate premises through the adjacent GSIS building.

Civilians and members of the media were evacuated from the Senate building shortly before 9 p.m. Wednesday.

Remulla arrived at the Senate and later told reporters that authorities were doing a sweep of the Senate building. He also assured Dela Rosa that no arrest warrant will be served. Remulla also told reporters that Dela Rosa was “safe” after the incident.

Amid allegations that supposed NBI agents tried to enter the Senate premises, Matibag said there were no NBI agents deployed at the Senate and that their personnel are at a three-day fellowship event at a hotel.

Later on Wednesday night, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. also took to social media to stress that there is no instruction to arrest Dela Rosa and that government forces are not behind the shooting incident at the Senate. — JMA, GMA News