THE Office of the Ombudsman has formally requested the Senate Public Information and Relations Bureau (PRIB) to submit a complete list of media personnel who were within the Senate premises on May 13 and 14, the days marked by tension and a shooting incident inside the complex.
In an official letter dated Tuesday, May 19, the anti‑graft body also asked for the corresponding logbook entries showing the exact login and logout times of these media representatives.
This request forms part of the ongoing fact‑finding and investigation being conducted by the office into the security breach, the discharge of firearms, and the overall handling of the situation that unfolded during the attempt to serve an International Criminal Court warrant against Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.
The letter further stated that if the requested documents or records are unavailable or cannot be provided for any reason, the PRIB is required to submit a sworn certification explaining the grounds for such unavailability.
Authorities assured that all materials and information turned over to their office will be handled with strict confidentiality and used exclusively for the purposes of the probe. Investigators view the movement and positioning of the media as significant details, given that reporters and camera crews were gathered near personnel from the Office of the Sergeant‑at‑Arms shortly before the gunfire erupted, providing eyewitness accounts and documentation of the events as they happened.
Recollections of the incident indicate that when shots were fired, members of the press scrambled for safety — some rushing out of the building while others stayed inside, with no injuries or casualties reported among them or anyone else present.
Their proximity to the scene means their records and presence could help establish timelines, identify individuals involved, and clarify the sequence of actions taken by security personnel and other parties.
This new request for media records comes shortly after the Ombudsman issued a preventive suspension order against Acting Senate Sergeant‑at‑Arms Mao Aplasca last May 15, an order which the Senate officially received just this Monday, May 18. The investigation continues to gather documentary and testimonial evidence to determine liability and possible administrative or criminal offenses committed during the highly publicized standoff.
