NBI commends agent involved in Senate incident with Aplasca

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Monday commended the agent that was involved in the shooting incident with former Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca on May 13.

NBI Director Melvin Matibag awarded an NBI Shield of Bravery to agent Francisco.

“Bago pa ang pinakita niyang katapangan at kabayanihan sa pagprotekta sa mga kasamahan nung May 13, 2026 sa GSIS, madami nang pinamalas na kabayanihan at katapangan si Agent Francisco,” Matibag said.

(Before he demonstrated his bravery and heroism in protecting his colleagues on May 13, 2026 at the GSIS, Agent Francisco had already shown many acts of bravery and heroism.)

Matibag said that Francisco demonstrated “grace under pressure.”

“At kahit paano pa i-spin ito ng mga senador, lalong-lalo na ang aking best friend na Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, ang kwento doon sa Senate na sila ay under attack, alam natin na hindi totoo sapagkat alam natin ang unang nagpaputok ay ang OSAA head na si Gen. Aplasca na na-suspend pa ng Ombudsman,” he said.

(And no matter how the senators try to spin this, especially my best friend Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, the narrative that they were under attack in the Senate is, as we know, not true, because we know that the first shot was fired by OSAA head Gen. Aplasca, who was even suspended by the Ombudsman.)

Matibag also stressed that the incident gave way for Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, who is subject of an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant, to escape.

The May 13 gun-related incident at the upper chamber took place while Dela Rosa was under protective custody of the Senate.

Gunshots rang out while the building was placed on lockdown. It was a day after National Bureau of Investigation operatives attempted to serve a warrant of arrest issued by the ICC on Dela Rosa.

Aplasca fired several warning shots at the Senate's glass windows, causing panic among those who were still within the Senate premises at that time.

Dela Rosa has not appeared in public since the incident.

Meanwhile, the Office of the Ombudsman has ordered Aplasca’s dismissal. — RSJ, GMA News