MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano angrily rejected claims that the gunfire incident inside the Senate complex the night before had been staged, insisting the chamber had come under a real “armed attack.”

At a press briefing Thursday, May 14, Cayetano pushed back against online speculation questioning the authenticity of the incident, which unfolded while senators were meeting amid the transmission of the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte.

“But I don’t think there’s any question. The Senate is under attack, was under attack,” Cayetano said, raising his voice.

“All of you, all of you. Your lives were in danger last night,” he said, addressing reporters covering the standoff.

‘Not government’

Cayetano said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assured him the gunmen were not from any government agency.

“The president said, ‘It’s not government. It’s not the AFP. It’s not the PNP. It’s not the NBI,'” Cayetano said.

Still, the Senate chief openly expressed distrust toward the National Bureau of Investigation, citing tensions from the failed attempt to arrest Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa inside the Senate complex on May 11.

“But I told him, ‘But Mr. President, we have a bad experience in the NBI. They haven’t been truthful with us,'” Cayetano said.

He was referring to the confrontation earlier in the week when NBI agents attempted to serve a warrant against Dela Rosa, resulting in a chaotic pursuit inside the Senate building and a later Senate contempt citation against several individuals.

Cayetano also criticized the NBI for allegedly failing to provide the Senate with a copy of the warrant and a report on the attempted arrest despite earlier assurances from NBI Director Melvin Matibag.

32 shots exchanged

Reading from information he said came from Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, Cayetano claimed 32 shots were fired during the confrontation Wednesday night.

According to Cayetano, 27 shots came from the Senate side while five came from the opposing side near the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms.

He said armed agents had allegedly been deployed on multiple floors near the GSIS side of the Senate complex.

Cayetano narrated that a certain “Agent Francisco” was seated along a second-floor bridgeway carrying an AR-15 rifle when Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Roberto “Mao” Aplasca approached and asked him to identify himself.

According to Cayetano, the agent stood up while carrying the rifle on a sideways sling, prompting Aplasca to fire a warning shot.

Cayetano claimed the agent also pulled the trigger while pointing the weapon upward.

“In the ensuing encounter,” Cayetano said, Senate security personnel fired 27 rounds from 9mm and .40 caliber firearms, while the alleged agent fired five rounds before fleeing.

The National Bureau of Investigation and Philippine National Police said Thursday they would investigate the incident.

— Nickie Wang