And the Suspect in the Senate Shooting Is... an NBI Driver?

(SPOT.ph) After all the speculation over who fired shots inside the Senate on the night of May 13, police have identified the alleged suspect as someone working for the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)—not an agent, but a driver.

According to a police report from the Southern Police District, the suspect has been identified by his alias “Mel Oragon,” a 44-year-old married Filipino male who is allegedly employed as a driver at the NBI. NBI Director Melvin Matibag would later clarify in a press conference on May 14 that the suspect is a volunteer, not an official employee, based on the NBI’s records.

“Lumalabas po na siya ay parang volunteer kasama ng mga ahente,” Matibag said, explaining that the NBI would sometimes tap volunteers—or what they call “force multipliers”—during operations due to a lack of manpower.

The report said the suspect was allegedly armed with an undetermined caliber of gun when he fired several shots at around 7:50 p.m. The incident happened inside the GSIS Compound in Pasay City, where the Senate is located.

But the Malacañang Palace offered a different sequence of events. Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro claimed that the first shot was actually fired by Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms officer-in-charge Roberto Ancan Aplasca.

Regardless of who made the first shot, the gunfire caused panic inside the building, which had already been placed under heavy tension over the recent leadership shakeup and the possible arrest of Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, who had been staying at the Senate amid an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC). Thirty minutes before the shooting took place, the Senate had also just received the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte at 7:22 p.m.

Not long after the shooting, the suspect was “immediately subdued and subsequently arrested” by members of the Senate Security Detachment, as per the report. Police have yet to determine his motive.

Meanwhile, Dela Rosa has reportedly left the Senate building at 2:30 a.m. on May 14, a day after the shooting.

Dela Rosa is wanted by the ICC in relation to alleged crimes against humanity connected to the Duterte administration’s war on drugs, which involved the murder of at least 32 people between 2016 and 2018. He has denied any wrongdoing.

Also read: Sara Duterte Is Impeached by the House—What Happens Next?

According to Philippine National Police (PNP) Spokesperson Police Brigadier General Randulf Tuaño, only three security groups were present at the Senate during the incident: the Police Security and Protection Group (PSPG), Philippine Marines, and Senate security personnel.

Matibag confirmed that no agent of theirs was deployed at the Senate as they were in a three-day fellowship event in a hotel.

“Nakatanggap ako ng tawag kay Senator Loren na paalisin ko raw yung mga agent ng NBI. Sabi ko, ‘Wala kaming agent diyan.’ Wala naman po talaga, kasi daw nagpaputok. Sabi ko pa-imbestigahan niyo, pa-huli niyo yung mga nagpapaputok. Dahil sigurado ako na wala kaming tao na nandiyan sa loob ng Senado,” Matibag told GMA News on May 13.

However, Matibag clarified in the press conference on May 14 that NBI agents were indeed present at the GSIS Building—just not inside the Senate—upon the request of GSIS President Wick Veloso to help secure the premises.

"I'm sure wala tayong tao sa Senate premises, sa Senate building, pero nagrequest si GM Wick Veloso na magpadala ng NBI so 'yun ang nangyari. Meron tayong NBI sa GSIS. 'Yung mga NBI natin ay nasa labas po lamang, walang dalang armas kasi 'yun yung mga intel personnel namin," Matibag said.

Of course, this raises the next question: If the NBI said it had no agents inside the Senate, why was an NBI driver there at all? For now, authorities have not explained whether the suspect was officially assigned to anyone, accompanied an NBI official, entered the compound on his own, or was there for another reason.

The PNP said charges are being prepared against the suspect for violations of the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, alarms and scandals, grave threats, direct assault, and Senate security regulations.

Also read: Did the Philippines Really Surrender Duterte to the ICC?