PNP Chief: 44 shells traced to 4 guns; no fire originated outside Senate

PHILIPPINE National Police Chief P/Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez presented new findings on the Senate shooting incident, confirming that the 44 empty cartridges recovered from the scene were fired from only four distinct firearms.

Based on forensic examination and ballistic analysis, he identified the sources of the gunfire: three weapons belonged to personnel under the Office of the Senate Sergeant‑at‑Arms (OSAA), while the fourth was traced to an agent of the National Bureau of Investigation.

This clarification directly counters earlier speculations of a larger confrontation or the involvement of unknown individuals, narrowing the scope of responsibility to members of the security and law enforcement agencies already present within the complex.

Nartatez further detailed the sequence and circumstances surrounding the discharge of weapons, noting that the NBI agent who fired his gun was already in the process of retreating at the time.

This detail adds context to the tense standoff between Senate security and NBI agents, who had arrived to serve an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa. The police chief also categorically ruled out the possibility of shots coming from outside the building, putting to rest claims that external forces or unidentified groups had joined the fray or attempted to breach the premises during the commotion.

These official results provide a clearer factual basis for ongoing investigations being conducted by the Ombudsman and other oversight bodies.

By establishing exactly how many guns were used, who possessed them, and where they were positioned, authorities can now focus on determining whether the use of firearms was justified, proportional, and within established rules of engagement.

The findings are also critical to resolving conflicting accounts regarding the start of the incident, as investigators work to piece together why armed personnel from two different government agencies ended up exchanging fire within a facility designed to be secure and neutral ground for legislative work.