SENATE UPDATES: Security remains tight at senate after standoff, gunfire — ANC

[0:01] Let's now get an update on the situation at the Senate premises from ABS-CBN's Bea Cuadra. [0:07] Bea, good morning. [0:12] Yes, Karen, good morning. [0:13] The atmosphere here at the Senate remains extremely tense as security forces continue to maintain a tighter perimeter around the complex. [0:20] This follows the incident last night where multiple gunshots were heard echoing through the halls, sending staff and media scrambling for safety. [0:27] Senator Ronald Bato de la Rosa remains under protective custody inside his office. [0:32] His lawyer, Attorney Jimmy Bondoc, said last night that they are heading back to the Supreme Court this morning. [0:37] Bondoc says that the shooting incident constitutes a supervening event that proves there is a clear threat to the senator's life and security. [0:44] Attorney Bondoc highlighted that they are now preparing a writ of amparo fearing the possibility of an enforced disappearance given the current legal vacuum regarding the ICC jurisdiction. [0:54] He also emphasized that without a clear warrant or rules on surrender, the armed presence last night was illegitimate. [0:59] Last night, Philippine National Police Chief General Jose Melencio Nartates Jr. was seen within the Senate premises. [1:07] However, upon exiting the building, the PNP chief declined to provide specific details regarding the gunshots fired or the ongoing investigation. [1:15] Regarding the senator's current state, Attorney Bondoc had to say this. [1:18] Of course, I cannot know what is in the heart and minds of our Supreme Court justices, but we believe that it is in our collective consciousness that what happened now is clear, unmistakable proof of the threat against the life and the liberty and security of our client, Senator Bato. [1:36] So we will be availing of these remedies. [1:40] It's okay. It's in good spirits. [1:42] Parang masiwas more concerned about us. [1:44] Na okay ba kayo? [1:46] Sabi ko, Sen, okay kami. [1:48] Ikaw, kamusta ka? [1:48] Okay lang ako, Jim. [1:49] Senator De La Rosa still stayed at the Senate as his camp believes he has nowhere else to go where his safety can be guaranteed. [2:00] While Interior Secretary John Vic Rimulia has assured adequate protection, the senator's camp is not taking any chances until the high court intervenes. [2:08] Back to you, Karen. [2:10] All right. Thank you very much, Bea Quadra. [2:16] Now let's get another look at how the chaos at the Philippine Senate unfolded last night. [2:21] We're now joined by ABS-CBN's Victoria Tulad, who was in the thick of the scene when the first gunshots rang. [2:31] Victoria, pwede tayong mag-Filipino para mas makaabot ito sa nakararaman nating kababayan. [2:39] Ikwento mo, Victoria, how did the chaos unfold? [2:43] You can do it in Taglish, Filipino, please do. [2:47] Good morning, Karen. [2:49] So last night at 6.57pm, the acting Senate Sergeant at Arms, Mau Aplaska, told us that they will be conducting an operation, that they will be arresting someone. [3:04] Tinanong natin kung sino yung aarestuhin, pero hindi niya sinabi. [3:09] He was just telling the media to clear the second floor of the Senate. [3:14] But of course, the media couldn't leave because we needed to deliver the news. [3:17] We needed to know what was happening or what was going to happen. [3:21] Later on, we already saw some soldiers, yung mga nakagreen na uniform in full battle gear, [3:30] may dalang long firearms and in bulletproof vests. [3:34] At tagasaan daw yun, Victoria? [3:38] We didn't get any information from Aplaska kung sino sila. [3:42] So until now, we are assuming that they are those soldiers na nakadetail sa Senado [3:51] because there are soldiers and personnel from the PNP detailed or assigned in the Senate. [3:56] And then, a little past 7pm, we saw Senator Ronald Bato de la Rosa leaving the room of Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano. [4:06] Sumakay siya sa elevator at nakita natin yung elevator pababa. [4:10] So we all ran downstairs. [4:13] Bumaba kami, tinray namin habulin yung elevator. [4:16] Pagdating sa baba, there was no Senator de la Rosa who came out from the elevator. [4:22] Yung elevator nakita namin paakyat na. [4:24] So probably, we don't know if nagkamali lang sila ng pindot, nung button, or if it was a decoy. [4:32] Pero they went upstairs. [4:34] He was with his staff. [4:35] And I saw one of the people he was with wearing a bulletproof vest. [4:41] And then, as I was reporting last night to you guys on TV Patrol, nag-lockdown yung Senate. [4:48] May narinig kaming drilling doon sa second floor just across the elevator. [4:53] After that, we went upstairs at around 7.40pm sa second floor. [5:01] Nakarinig na kami ng mga putukan, yung sunod-sunod na barilan. [5:05] Doon sa dulong side, nung second floor, where some of the committee rooms, or some of the rooms used for committee hearings are located. [5:17] Ang daming-andaming putukan. [5:20] As I told you guys last night, I'm sure more than 10 yung narinig namin. [5:26] Doon sa dulong side, nandoon yung mga militar na may hawak ng long firearms. [5:34] Andun din yung ilang, maraming kawani ng Philippine National Police at yung mga kawani ng Office of the Senate Sergeant at Arms. [5:45] During the gunshots, during the gunfire, pinatay yung ilaw. [5:50] So, siguro para hindi makita nung kabilang side, nung mga binabaril, yung movement, nung mga police. [5:57] So, that lasted for a couple of minutes. [6:00] We tried during that time to get information. [6:04] Nakita natin si Plaska, pero hindi siya sumagot. [6:08] We then saw Senate Secretary Mark Leandro Mendoza. [6:11] Ang sabi niya, initially, perceived NBI. [6:15] Hindi nila sigurado kung taga-NBI, pero may perceived NBI daw na nakapasok without coordination in the Senate. [6:22] And they were armed. [6:23] Allegedly, sila yung una nagpapotok, sabi ni Secretary Mendoza, and then nag-retaliate na lang yung security forces. [6:32] Sa kabila nun, he assured the safety of the people inside the Senate. [6:37] After that, we also saw Senator Robin Padilla. [6:41] We tried to ask him for any information on what was happening, pero he just calmly told us to go to a safer place. [6:51] As he was going upstairs, we don't know where he was going. [6:53] We couldn't see Senator Ronald De La Rosa. [6:56] Hindi natin alam kung nasan siya. [6:57] We presumed na nasa taas siya. [7:00] Pero there was really no confirmation from the authorities. [7:06] So, nagkaroon ng tigil putukan. [7:09] And then, at around 9pm, they told the OSA and the PNP, nagsabi sila na lumabas na lahat ng media. [7:18] So, we were allowed to get our stuff from the press office and we were made to go down. [7:23] Yung mga ibang empleyado ng Senado, wala na rin. [7:28] Victoria, go down where? [7:29] Go down outside. [7:31] Lumabas na ng gusali, ng Senate building. [7:35] Prior to that, Karen, we also saw Secretary John Vic Remulia of DILG. [7:41] Pumasok siya ng Senate before 9pm. [7:45] Tinanong natin kung ano yung nangyayari. [7:47] Sabi niya, wala pa rin siyang information. [7:49] Pupunta siya kay Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano to find out what happened. [7:54] Pero he was firm in saying that walang utos from him to arrest Senator De La Rosa. [8:01] His instruction was to stand down. [8:04] So, nakalabas na kami past 9pm. [8:09] And siguro mga 9.03, lumabas din si Sergeant at Arms ng House of Representatives na si Chelo Igarafil with another staff from the House. [8:24] Kasi amid all the chaos, the articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte were transmitted to the Senate as well last night. [8:35] Sabi ni Aplaska before the commotion, before the gunshots were heard, it was I think 7, 10pm na nandoon na sa Senado yung articles of impeachment at dadalhin na sa office ni Senate Secretary Mendoza doon sa 6th floor. [8:51] So, after makaalis nila, Secretary General Chelo Igarafil, nandoon tayo sa labas. [8:57] We were monitoring the situation outside. [9:00] Very tight ang security. [9:02] Around 9.35pm, buba si Secretary Remulia, John Vic Remulia, and si Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, [9:09] along with some Senators who were still inside the building. [9:13] And they told us na may nakapasok na ilang individual na hindi pa nila in-identify or hindi pa nila ma-identify. [9:26] Supposedly, they were armed at nakita sila ng osa'a. [9:32] At nung nakita sila na may armas na dala, nag-warning shot yung osa'a. [9:38] Nag-warning shot. Yung individuals na nakapasok, pumunta sila doon sa dulong side. [9:47] So, the gunshots were heard from the end of the hallway. [9:52] Pero doon sa dulo pa, sa pagliko, nandoon yung ibang rooms, nagtagudaw doon yung mga individual na nakapasok, [10:00] na nakapenetrate, naka-infiltrate sa Senado. [10:02] They hold up there and kaya nagkaroon ng... [10:05] They also fired back at the osa'a. [10:08] Doon na nag-start talaga yung matinding putukan. [10:11] Last night, they couldn't give us much information. [10:14] They said that they were still reviewing, in the process of reviewing all the CCTV footage, [10:20] they were conducting a sweep of all the floors in the Senate. [10:25] They assured na safe si Senator De La Rosa. [10:29] He's... [10:30] Remulia said na nasa chambers, nasa office ni De La Rosa, si De La Rosa. [10:37] And again here, iterated that there was no instruction to arrest the senator. [10:42] Si Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano naman, [10:45] inassure na secure ang Senado sa kabila ng nangyari. [10:50] At ngayong araw nga ay may pasok na sa Senate. [10:52] Got it. [10:53] All right. [10:54] Now, we've heard the president's speech. [10:57] He said that he spoke to NBI Director Matibag. [11:00] Matibag was also on ANC last night. [11:03] Matibag says they were instructed to stand down. [11:08] There was no instruction to go in the Senate and serve the warrant. [11:13] The president said that as well in his speech. [11:16] And yet, Secretary John Vic Remulia has claimed na may nakapasok. [11:23] May impormasyon na ba, Victoria, kung sino ang nakapasok? [11:28] PNP ba to? [11:30] NBI ba to? [11:31] Sino sila? [11:32] As of now, Karen, we still don't have information. [11:35] We left the Senate at 11, past 11 p.m. last night. [11:40] Wala pa tayong na-receive, natatanggap na impormasyon mula sa liderato ng Senado kung ano na yung development doon sa pagkakakilanlan ng mga individual na di umanunga ay nakapasok sa Senado na may dalang armas. [11:56] Yun nga, ang sabi ni Sen. Secretary Mendoza initially perceived NBI. [12:01] Pero doon naman sa briefing ni Sen. Remulia sa atin, sinabi nila na hindi pa nila masabi kung sino talaga yung mga individual na yun, Karen. [12:12] Now, you were the one who went live where you caught Sen. Robin Padilla actually calmly walking across the halls of the second floor leading up to the staircase. [12:25] He didn't even use the elevator. [12:27] What transpired with your conversation? [12:31] We asked Sen. Padilla what was happening, if he could give us any information and where Sen. Ronald Bato de la Rosa was. [12:39] But he didn't answer that. [12:42] Those questions, ang sabi lang niya, delikado dito, huwag kayo dito. [12:47] Nadoon nga kami sa, we were at the stairwell and he was telling us that it was dangerous and that we shouldn't be there. [12:52] He calmly repeated those words to us and then went up the stairs. [12:59] Hindi natin alam kung saan siya nagpunta. [13:01] Pero, yeah, he was very calm during the incident and he couldn't give us much information, Karen. [13:10] All right. [13:10] Victoria, would you know who among the Senators were in the Senate building last night? [13:17] We know that former Sen. President Tito Soto had left earlier. [13:21] Sen. J.B. Ayersito was not there. [13:26] Right? [13:26] Sino lang ang nandun sa Senado kagabi? [13:29] Those we saw, Karen, were Sen. President Alan Peter Cayetano, Sen. Joel Villanueva, Sen. Lauren Legarda, Sen. Pia Cayetano, Sen. Robin Hood Padilla, Sen. Camille Villanueva, Sen. Aimee Marcos, Sen. Mark Villar, Sen. Dante Marcoleta, Sen. Jingoy Estrada, we saw before the gunfire. [13:55] And, well, assuming Senator Ronald, we saw also Senator Ronald De La Rosa. [14:02] So, ang sabi ni Cayetano, they were there because they were waiting for the articles of impeachment to be transmitted. [14:08] Some of the Senators already left after the session, which ended at around 5.58 p.m. [14:16] And only the majority Senators were left, Karen. [14:21] Okay. Now, Secretary John Vic Remulyang had said that it seems may nakapasok, right? [14:29] Ano yung exact words, Victoria? [14:32] His exact words were, at 7.46, armed men tried to enter through the second floor but were stopped by Osa'a. [14:43] They had firearms with them but Osa'a fired a warning shot. [14:47] They retreated at the back and started firing indiscriminately. [14:50] We do not have a definite count of how many people tried to enter the building. [14:53] Victoria, for those watching us who have never been to the Senate, we have viewers that have never seen the Senate building in person. [15:03] What is the setup in terms of the entrances in the Senate? [15:07] The Senate was heavily guarded last night. [15:10] Ang NBI na sa labas. Ang PNP na sa labas. [15:14] The Senate itself has strict security. [15:17] How could anyone infiltrate the Senate and reach the second floor? [15:23] So, describe the setup in the Senate. [15:26] The main gate of the Senate was closed because of rallyists outside. [15:33] And as far as we know, to enter the building would have been very... [15:39] The ANSAM at ending security check. [15:42] Of course, employees were allowed to enter and the media. [15:46] We don't know exactly, Karen, kung ano yung protocol when it comes to other people who do not have an ID in the Senate. [15:56] So, I really do not have an idea how the Senate could have been infiltrated. [16:01] Remulia and Cayetana refused to say why or how those people could have entered. [16:09] They didn't want to go into the nitty-gritty of what happened because they were still conducting investigation, Karen. [16:15] Did you see any armed men inside the Senate with vests that had the NBI on the vests? [16:25] I didn't see any armed men with a vest which had the acronym NBI. [16:32] I only saw PNP personnel and soldiers who were wearing bulletproof vests all throughout that chaotic time, Karen. [16:42] And on a regular day, you cover the Senate every day. [16:47] Are there really armed soldiers in the Senate, Marines and PNP within the premises? [16:55] There are armed soldiers and policemen in the vicinity of the Senate because they are detailed to the Senate. [17:03] So, we have seen them in a couple of occasions, especially when there are big events such as SONA or if there's probably a big hearing, we often see them. [17:17] But on a regular basis, they're probably posted somewhere but still inside the Senate premises, Karen. [17:28] Okay. Now, what was interesting is OSA informed you or it was the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms informed the reporters, [17:39] step aside, umalis kayo, clear the area kasi may aarestuhin. [17:44] Right? [17:45] Tama po pa, di ba? Tama. [17:47] Victoria and Sergeant-at-Arms ang nagsabi nun. [17:50] May aarestuhin. [17:51] Tapos hindi umalis ang mga reporters. [17:53] And yet, they did, he did not name who it was that was going to be arrested, supposedly. [18:01] Bato is under protective custody of the Senate right now. [18:05] The OSA has been replaced, the old OSA, and this essentially has been replaced by the new Senate president. [18:14] So, it's fair to say that the Sergeant-at-Arms now would be in support of the new majority, the new Senate president. [18:22] Right? [18:23] So, you have Bato, who's under protective custody, and when you cleared, an arrest didn't happen. [18:30] Bato instead was able to get inside the elevator. [18:35] Right? [18:36] Now, with nawalang balakid. [18:38] Looking at it now, why were you all cleared? [18:43] Was it to give Bato free entrance to the elevator? [18:46] We really don't know if it was for the sake of Senator De La Rosa. [18:53] Ang sinabi lang sa amin is magkakaroon ng operation, and they needed us to clear the second floor. [18:59] Initially, we thought baka si Senator De La Rosa was the one who was going to be arrested. [19:03] But then we saw, that's why we ran after him, kasi baka mamaya pag baba niya ng elevator, ilabas na siya ng Senate building. [19:12] But that wasn't the case. [19:13] So, I'm assuming they just really wanted us to clear because they were going to arrest someone. [19:20] They didn't even tell us kung nasa second floor ba yung aarestuhin, kaya kami pinapaalis. [19:25] Kaya we couldn't leave as well because there was really lack of information. [19:31] We couldn't understand, comprehend completely what was happening. [19:36] And we needed to get more information, more details. [19:39] That's why we stayed in the second floor despite the statement of APLASCA that they were going to arrest someone [19:45] and that they needed the Senate second floor to be cleared, Karen. [19:48] Okay. Victoria, in the midst of the chaos last night, gunshots were heard. [19:56] Who or which authoritative body was in charge of keeping all the civilians safe? [20:07] It's hard to say because there really was no order at that time. [20:13] Of course, APLASCA was there and the OSA personnel were there. [20:17] So, they were instructing us to keep safe, to stay away from where the gunfire was happening. [20:30] So, there were a lot of security naman during that time, Karen. [20:35] So, there was the OSA and the PNP also. [20:38] They were trying to keep us safe. [20:39] But, of course, we were still very much exposed to possible repercussions from the gunfire during that time. [20:48] All right. Okay. [20:50] Well, that was an active crime scene last night. [20:54] Did you see any effort to actually contain the crime scene? [21:02] We were already made to go down at 9 p.m. [21:06] So, we couldn't really see how the crime scene was contained. [21:09] They just barricaded the part of the hallway leading up to where the military was, to where the suspected individuals were. [21:21] So, I think that was the containment part that I saw. [21:26] Aside from that, we couldn't really see anything else as we were made to go down already, Karen. [21:31] All right. Now, Victoria, take us today. [21:34] You said it's back to work for Senate employees today. [21:38] But what are you expecting today? [21:41] Well, there was a caucus last night on the articles of impeachment. [21:45] What is the majority planning to do today? [21:48] It's a Thursday. [21:49] Regularly ba may session today? [21:52] There is no session, Karen. [21:54] Sessions are only from Monday to Wednesday. [21:57] We're hoping that Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano will hold a press conference to explain to us what happened, [22:06] to give us information, especially on the supposed men or individuals who infiltrated the Senate. [22:14] As to the articles of impeachment, we still need to get information from the Senate Secretary or from Cayetano [22:20] what next step they will be making because they have to announce in session that the articles of impeachment have been transmitted [22:31] and session will resume on Monday, Karen. [22:35] Okay. My last question, Victoria. [22:37] Do you have any information if any individuals were detained or held for questioning? [22:45] Earlier, Karen, I saw a video from DZMM that there was a man. [22:50] A lady? A man? [22:52] I'm not sure. I'm not sure. [22:54] There was an individual who was pinned down. [22:57] I saw a video. There was an individual who pinned down, but I don't know yet the information regarding that. [23:02] Last night, what Remolia and Cayetano told us was no one got hurt. [23:08] They were still... [23:10] It was still an ongoing operation, and they couldn't tell us if someone was already in their custody [23:16] or if they were still chasing. [23:17] Ang sabi lang nila, they are reviewing the CCTVs, and they are making a sweep of the entire building, Karen. [23:23] All right. On that note, I want to thank you so much, ABS-CBN correspondent Victoria Tulad, [23:29] and kudos to you and all our ABS-CBN reporters who were with you, [23:35] who were covering the scene last night. [23:37] Thank you, Victoria. [23:38] Thank you, Karen. [23:39] Thank you so much.