MANILA, Philippines — In a swift regulatory crackdown following the unprecedented gunfire that rocked the legislative branch, the Office of the Ombudsman has slapped acting Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca with a six-month preventive suspension without pay. Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla finalized the directive after Aplasca publicly admitted to discharging the initial firearm round against National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents.
The suspension is executed to strip Aplasca of his official authority temporarily, preventing him from potentially exercising administrative influence or altering internal security logs while a high-level independent probe is conducted.
During a televised press conference on Friday, May 15, Ombudsman Remulla expressed absolute condemnation over the armed escalation inside a co-equal, constitutionally mandated branch of government.
- The First Shot: Remulla noted that Aplasca—a retired police major general—initiated the firefight that rapidly expanded into a sweeping, three-minute tactical volley inside the enclosed complex.
- The Irony of the Act: The Ombudsman openly questioned the logic of a Senate security chief actively attacking executive law enforcement agents who were deployed in adjacent sectors of the GSIS complex.
- The Shell Shock Factor: Remulla highlighted that the indiscriminate discharge of at least 30 bullet rounds inside the building directly endangered civilian staff, assembly personnel, and members of the media pool who were pinned down by the commotion.
“In an office established by the Constitution, this is unacceptable, especially since he is the Sergeant-at-Arms and he fired the first shot… It’s worrisome if we allow this to go unpunished and just ignore it. We can’t ignore something of this magnitude. Who is he—what right does he have to do that to law enforcers?” — Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla
Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano later clarified to reporters that the preventive suspension serves a critical forensic purpose. The primary objective is to preserve the absolute integrity of physical evidence—most notably the raw closed-circuit television (CCTV) server files—over which the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA) holds total localized jurisdiction.
A multi-agency investigating panel consisting of the Ombudsman, DOJ, NBI, and PNP is currently mapping out deep-cutting subpoenas slated for release next week. Investigators confirmed they will look at every angle, including testing theories on whether the entire standoff was a “staged show” designed to orchestrate a distraction.
Based on the final findings, Aplasca faces a battery of severe structural indictments:
- Obstruction of Justice
- Gross Neglect of Duty
- Failure to Maintain Public Order and Safety
- Illegal Discharge of a Firearm
- Aiding or Abetting a Fugitive from Justice (linked to the subsequent exit of Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa)
The suspension order has fueled an immediate administrative tug-of-war between the anti-graft body and the leadership of the upper chamber. Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano went live on Facebook to mount a fierce defense of Aplasca, maintaining that any citizen would have fired a warning shot if unidentified individuals in heavy tactical gear and holding long firearms advanced into their home without formal, pre-operational coordination.
- The Appeal for Equality: Cayetano aggressively challenged the Ombudsman to apply the exact same standards to the executive branch, demanding the immediate preventive suspension of NBI Director Melvin Matibag.
- The Pushback: Cayetano asserted that Matibag is far more of a suspect for launching an uncoordinated, armed raid near the Senate session hall. “There will be no independent investigation until the NBI is also suspended,” Cayetano added.
- Legislative Support: Senator Jinggoy Estrada mirrored the Senate President’s sentiments, stating that the Senate majority bloc completely backs Aplasca’s actions as a justifiable defense of legislative sovereignty against intrusive external operatives.
The suspension comes at a logistical low point for the upper chamber. Security continuity is now heavily strained just days before the Senate is constitutionally mandated to formally convene as an impeachment court on Monday, May 18, at 3:00 p.m. to try Vice President Sara Duterte.
With Aplasca sidelined, Senate administrators must race to designate an interim Sergeant-at-Arms to manage the intense security logistics, public access protocols, and witness protection layouts required for the high-profile trial.