MANILA – Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said that the Senate refused to accept subpoenas issued for CCTV footage related to the May 13 shooting incident inside the chamber, as well as a summons for Acting Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca.

“Nagkakaproblema ha. ‘Yung aming process server, ayaw tanggapin sa Senate,” Remulla said in a dzRH Executive Session interview.

“(There is a problem. The Senate did not accept our process server.)”

In a report, it said that Remulla said the subpoena covered CCTV recordings of the shooting incident and a summons issued to Aplasca in connection with the investigation.

“Pero may notice na eh. Sinabi nga ni Alan Cayetano dapat i-charge din si Matibag. Ibig sabihin alam na nila na meron talaga silang suspension na,” he added.

“(But there is a notice already. [Senate President] Alan Cayetano even said even [NBI Director Melvin] Matibag should be charged. That means they already knew there is a suspension.)”

“Pero ayaw nilang tanggapin. ‘Di ko sila naintindihan. Kasi sa akin considered served na ‘yan kahit hindi nila tinanggap,” he said.

“(But they do not want to accept it. I don’t understand them. For me, that is already considered served.)”

The Ombudsman earlier placed Aplasca under preventive suspension for six months without pay over his alleged firing of a warning shot that triggered the shooting incident inside the Senate on May 13.

Remulla said the suspension is necessary as part of the ongoing investigation.

Aplasca earlier admitted firing a warning shot against National Bureau of Investigation personnel who were at the Government Service Insurance System building near the Senate.

The shooting incident occurred hours before Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa left the Senate amid reports of an International Criminal Court warrant in connection with alleged crimes against humanity.

Remulla also said the Senate similarly refused to accept the subpoena for Aplasca in connection with the case.

“Ayaw tanggapin. ‘Yan nga ang problema. (They don’t want to accept it. That is the problem.) Look at the attitude. Sergeant-at-Arms ‘yan… Security guard ng Senate ‘yan. Ang trabaho niyan is to secure the Senate and make sure the rules are followed,” he said.

“Para mag-warning shot ka sa (For you to fire a warning shot against) law enforcement, you think that you are above the law. Nobody is above the law, I’m sorry,” he added.

In response, Aplasca said official records would disprove claims that CCTV footage was unavailable to authorities, saying the Senate had already provided recordings to the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

He said the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Office received a request dated May 14 from PNP-CIDG Regional Field Unit NCR for CCTV footage related to the incident and that the request was immediately complied with on the same day.

Aplasca also said the CCTV extraction and turnover were conducted with PNP personnel present, and that the footage provided was “authentic, original, unaltered, and directly obtained from the official Senate CCTV system.”

He added that the office remains fully cooperative with investigative bodies while maintaining transparency and institutional security.

Remulla earlier warned that those found liable in the shooting incident may face charges including obstruction of justice, aiding and abetting a fugitive from justice, failure to maintain public order and safety, and gross neglect of duty.