Jamaine Punzalan

Armed men were seen at the premises of the Philippine Senate after consecutive gunshots were heard on the evening of May 13, 2026. The source of the gunfire remains unknown and is currently under investigation. Earlier on Wednesday, the National Bureau of Investigation confirmed it may serve an arrest warrant against Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa at any time today, in connection with a crimes against humanity case at the International Criminal Court.
Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

SEN BATO DELA ROSA- ARREST- GUNSHOTS

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6dkVba5DRu8?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div><p>MANILA -- Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Tuesday that &quot;all evidence points that there was no attack on the Senate&quot; during the May 13 gunfire incident that preceded Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa&#x27;s departure from the building. </p><p>On Wednesday, Senate security personnel and a National Bureau of Investigation employee allegedly fired into the air during a tense confrontation at the Senate complex, forcing legislators to take cover inside their offices.</p><p>PNP chief Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. presented the following timeline of the incident. </p><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17791792972981779179296173.png" style="width:960px" width="960" id="isPasted" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/>Screenshot from RTVM livestream</div><div><br/></div><div><strong>DRILLING</strong></div><p>Nartatez noted in the afternoon of May 13, NBI agents arrived at the adjacent GSIS office &quot;to fortify the security of the GSIS.&quot; <span style="background-color:transparent"> </span></p><p>&quot;None of the NBI agents had tactical gear with them... They did not have a battering ram, they did not have provisions...to breach any door,&quot; Remulla said. </p><p>Nartatez said drilling sounds were heard at the Senate before the gunfire because a steel door at the ground floor of the GSIS building was being &quot;fortified.&quot;</p><p>&quot;All entrances from Senate to GSIS since early in the morning were being fortified by the GSIS maintenance. They had duly informed the maintenance of the Senate that there was gonna be drill work going on in all the doors of the GSIS connecting to the Senate,&quot; Remulla said. </p><p>&quot;Hindi gulatan ito... They were duly informed,&quot; he said. </p><p>The GSIS secured its entrances &quot;because Senator Bato had called for a people power movement and had there been anarchy in the building, the GSIS contains billions of pesos worth of artworks that are displayed on their walls,&quot; Remulla said. </p><p>&quot;Had there been an overflow of people going to GSIS, the losses would have been incredible,&quot; he said. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;LOCK AND LOAD&#x27;</strong></div><p>Remulla said that at 7:44 p.m., then Acting Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca assembled the Senate security personnel &quot;and gave the order to lock and load.&quot; </p><p>&quot;In his order, you can see the Marines were cocking their guns... after which he proceeded to the hallway leading to the doorway where the NBI were previously,&quot; Remulla said. </p><p><em></em>&quot;General Aplasca did it [in] full view of the press... and he allowed them to follow up to a certain point. In normal situations, if there is a perceived confrontation, you will clear the building of all personnel because of possible stray fire. However, he allowed them to follow,&quot; he said.  </p><p>Remulla said CCTV footage taken from 7:46 to 7:49 p.m. showed &quot;clouds of smoke and possible muzzle fire&quot; during the Senate security personnel&#x27;s confrontation with NBI agents.</p><p>&quot;The NBI agent withdrew behind the air-conditioning duct units and because he was being fired upon, he discharged a cover fire,&quot; Remulla said.</p><p>&quot;At this point, the officer-in-charge instructed agents, &#x27;Do not engage, do not engage.&#x27; So they retreated,&quot; he said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/19/timeline-police-explain-what-happened-at-the-senate-shooting-incident-1728">TIMELINE: Police explain what happened at Senate shooting incident </a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/19/-wala-akong-pinaputok-nbi-driver-says-he-was-unarmed-denies-firing-gun-inside-senate-0731">&#x27;Wala akong pinaputok&#x27;: NBI driver says he was unarmed, denies firing gun inside Senate </a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>STAGED?</strong></div><p>Remulla said Aplasca &quot;refused to appear&quot; before the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and turn over his firearm on Tuesday. </p><p>Meanwhile, Dela Rosa left the Senate at around 2:30 a.m. of May 14. </p><p>Dela Rosa had sought refuge at the Senate to escape arrest over alleged crimes against humanity charges before the International Criminal Court. He was the national police chief from 2016-2018 during the first two years of Duterte&#x27;s anti-narcotics crackdown that killed thousands. </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/19/nbi-says-has-leads-on-bato-s-whereabouts-1017">NBI says has &#x27;leads&#x27; on Dela Rosa&#x27;s whereabouts </a></div><p>Asked whether investigators were prepared to conclude that the chaos was staged, Remulla said, &quot;No.&quot; </p><p>&quot;The only conclusion is that there was no attack to the Senate,&quot; he said. </p><p>The Department of Justice said it would validate the report. </p><p>&quot;The DOJ will not take this as is. We will check on the timelines, the source of the videos,&quot; Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida said. </p><p>&quot;As to kung sino ang culprit, ayoko muna i-preempt. As to the type of cases that will be filed, again, I do not want to preempt my panel,&quot; he said. </p><p>-- <strong>With a report from Agence France-Presse </strong></p><div><br/></div><div><strong></strong><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nglf6GIw0pc?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wq6plkjZIdM?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Tuesday that "all evidence points that there was no attack on the Senate" during the May 13 gunfire incident. </p>

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Tuesday that "all evidence points that there was no attack on the Senate" during the May 13 gunfire incident.

DILG chief: 'All evidence points no attack on Senate'

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DILG chief: 'All evidence points no attack on Senate'

Jamaine Punzalan,

ABS-CBN News,

Published May 19, 2026 04:22 PM PHT

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Updated May 19, 2026 08:47 PM PHT

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Senate shooting

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