SENATE SHOOTING PROBE FACES NEW QUESTIONS OVER MISSING FOOTAGE

Questions continue to surround the May 13 shooting incident inside the Senate of the Philippines after the Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA) confirmed that no CCTV footage has been found showing the movements of Senate security personnel and Philippine Marines during the confrontation.

In an interview on DZRH’s Dos Por Dos, acting Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca said they reviewed available surveillance recordings but failed to locate footage covering the exact area where OSAA personnel and Marines were positioned.

“As of yesterday, pinareview ko yung mga CCTV. So wala po kaming mahanap doon sa area ng position po ng mga OSAA and Marines,” Aplasca said.

According to him, the only visible footage came from cameras positioned farther away, capturing merely the tail end of the tactical formation.

Aplasca maintained that Senate security forces fired warning shots after sensing a possible assault from a large group allegedly linked to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

“In-expect po namin na magkakaroon po sila ng assault kasi nakita na namin na medyo marami sila,” he explained, adding that multiple warning shots were fired to prevent a breach.

He also claimed that available footage showed flashes believed to be gunfire coming from the opposing side. However, he admitted that no visual evidence has yet surfaced showing the actual actions of OSAA personnel during the exchange of gunfire.

The absence of direct CCTV footage has intensified public scrutiny over what truly transpired inside the Senate complex during the chaotic incident.

Aplasca also declined to comment on claims circulating online that Senator Jinggoy Estrada allegedly suggested withholding copies of CCTV footage, saying he had not heard such statements.