Some NBI agents suspect Senate shooting was staged —Matibag

Some agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) suspect that the shooting incident at the Senate building on Wednesday could be staged to help in Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa’s escape, said NBI director Melvin Matibag.

According to Ivan Mayrina’s report in “24 Oras” on Thursday, at past 10 a.m. last night, over two hours after the shooting erupted at the Senate, President Bongbong Marcos said in a statement that it was not the police and the NBI who were behind the tensions.

"Wala pong instruction kahit kanino na hulihin si Senator Bato. Ang NBI, sinabihan ko, noong lumabas 'yung resolution ng Supreme Court, ay sinabi ko na umalis na kayo diyan at sumunod naman sila," Marcos said.

(There was no instruction given to anyone to arrest Senator Bato. I told the NBI, when the Supreme Court resolution came out, I told them to leave the area, and they complied.)

But in a press briefing at Malacañang on Thursday, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro stated that the NBI had dispatched personnel before 6 p.m. to the GSIS Building —the same building where the Senate holds office.

“Si GM Wick Veloso ng GSIS ay humingi ng assistance sa NBI para ma-secure ang kanilang premises. Pinagbigyan ito ng NBI, at sa puntong ito ay gusto nating linawin, una, walang assault na ginawa ang NBI agents sa Senado; at pangalawa, walang operasyon ang NBI o PNP na arestuhin si Senator Bato,” said Castro.

(GSIS GM Wick Veloso requested assistance from the NBI to secure their premises. The NBI granted this, and at this point, we want to clarify: first, the NBI agents did not conduct an assault on the Senate; and second, there was no NBI or PNP operation to arrest Senator Bato.)

In a video by GMA News, NBI personnel were seen drilling a door. But the NBI said that the door was being drilled to remove the lock.

“Iyong mga suot ng taong nagdi-drill, hindi naman po pang-assault. Ang nagdi-drill po, tinatanggal po nila iyong lock because the access from the Senate going to GSIS, iyong susi po, ang report po sa akin ni GM Veloso, is nandudoon po sa Senate,” said Matibag.

(The gear worn by the people drilling was not for an assault. Those drilling were removing the lock because the report given to me by GM Veloso was that the key for the access from the Senate going to GSIS was with the Senate.)

When the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms personnel reportedly saw the NBI agents, they immediately changed into combat gear. And when they confronted the NBI agents, that was when the shooting broke out.

“Pagdating sa bridge sa GSIS premises, tinanong ng OSAA ang NBI agent na nakaupo lamang kasama nga ang isang blue guard ng GSIS. Nagpakilala na NBI agents at noong nagsabi sila ng kanilang pagkakakilanlan, agad nagpaputok ng warning shot si Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca. At dahil doon, napilitan ding magpaputok ng warning shot ang NBI agent,” said Castro.

(Upon reaching the bridge at the GSIS premises, the OSAA questioned the NBI agent who was just sitting there with a GSIS security guard. They identified themselves as NBI agents, and as soon as they revealed their identity, Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca immediately fired a warning shot. Because of that, the NBI agent was also forced to fire a warning shot.)

It has yet to be identified who the NBI agent was who opened fire. Meanwhile, Matibag said the arrested person is not an employee of the NBI.

“Siya po ay hindi opisyal na empleyado ng NBI. Lumalabas po na siya po ay parang volunteer kasama po nung mga ahente po,” said Maitbag, noting that the man was only a driver.

(He is not an official employee of the NBI. It appears that he was a sort of volunteer accompanying the agents.)

Amid the reports that Dela Rosa has already left the Senate, some NBI agents couldn't help but think that last night's chaos was 'drawing’, or staged or intentional.

“That’s the sentiment of our NBI agents kasi nandoon kami, of course, hindi na rin lang para sa seguridad ng GSIS kung hindi iyong amin na ring mandato na siguraduhin ang isang tao na may mandato de aresto ay malaman namin kung saan pupunta. Lalung-lalo na nakita naman natin anim na buwan ding nagtago mula noong mabalitang may warrant. So isa na po sa aming tinitingnan iyon,” said Matibag.

(That’s the sentiment of our NBI agents because we were there, of course, not just for the security of the GSIS but also as part of our mandate to ensure we know the whereabouts of a person with a warrant of arrest. Especially since we saw that he was in hiding for six months since the warrant was first reported. So, that is one of the things we are looking into.)

Matibag has spoken with several senators from the majority, who assured him that because of the protective custody, the Senate is responsible for producing Dela Rosa whenever necessary.

“Malungkot po iyon dahil I feel na dapat ang amin pong usapan diyan it should be honored po iyan ‘eh. Sila po humingi ng ganoon at ang pagkakaalam naman natin proproteksyunan nila hindi lamang po si Senador Bato kung hindi iyong pong ating mismong mga batas sa Konstitusyon na umiiral,” said Matibag.

(That is saddening because I feel that our agreement there should be honored. They were the ones who requested that, and as far as we know, they would protect not just Senator Bato, but the very constitutional laws that we have in place.)

Meanwhile, Castro said: “Tandaan po natin, ang Bagong Pilipino ay para sa katotohanan at hindi para sa pagko-cover up.”

(Let us remember, the Bagong Pilipino stands for the truth and not for cover-ups.) —Vince Angelo Ferreras/LDF, GMA News