Philippine Senate Shooting Incident: Defense Chief Says No Subversive Threat in Military
Following a shooting incident at the Philippine Senate, the country's Defense Secretary, Gilberto Teodoro, stated that there is no subversive threat within the military, emphasizing the military's professionalism to allay public concerns.
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- 📰 Published: May 15, 2026 at 19:44
- 🔍 Collected: May 15, 2026 at 20:02 (18 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 15, 2026 at 20:18 (15 min after Collected)
(Central News Agency, Manila, 15th, reported by Lin Hsing-chien) A shooting incident recently occurred at the Philippine Senate involving government law enforcement personnel on both sides, raising concerns about whether the military and police systems might be affected by the political situation. Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro stated today that there is no subversive threat within the military.
Teodoro responded to questions from Philippine media while attending an Army event today, stating that while the shooting incident could affect the overall atmosphere of stability in the Philippines, it has not affected the professionalism of the Department of National Defense and the armed forces.
He emphasized that the Philippine military has learned from its history of improper political intervention in previous years.
Since 1986, the Philippines has experienced two "People Power" revolutions, one of which led to the downfall of the father of the current president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., as well as more than 10 failed military coup attempts. The topic of military coups remains sensitive in the Philippines to this day.
On the evening of the 13th, at least 10 gunshots were heard in the Senate. Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Ma. O. Aplasca admitted in a television interview that he first fired a warning shot at agents from the National Bureau of Investigation near the Senate, and the NBI agents then returned fire.
Aplasca stated that on the night of the incident, he perceived a "threat against the Senate," went to the scene to investigate, and after speaking with the other party, fired into the air, stressing that this action was in line with the "rules of engagement."
At the time, Senator Ronald dela Rosa, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC), was seeking asylum inside the Senate. Government law enforcement agencies, including the NBI, were thought to be potentially cooperating with the ICC to arrest dela Rosa, leading to a standoff.
Dela Rosa served as the Chief of the Philippine National Police during former President Rodrigo Duterte's term and is listed by the ICC as an "indirect accomplice" in the bloody war on drugs. In the early morning following the shooting, he is believed to have left the Senate in another senator's car, and his current whereabouts are unknown.
On the other hand, Aplasca stated in an interview with DZRH radio today that the Senate's surveillance footage did not capture images of the exchange of fire, but the Department of the Interior and Local Government said investigators are trying to "recover" the data from the memory card.
According to a report by GMA News Network, Aplasca was appointed to the position of Senate Sergeant-at-Arms upon dela Rosa's nomination, and the two were classmates at the Philippine Military Academy in their early years.
Philippine Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla today ordered a six-month "preventive" suspension without pay for Aplasca to cooperate with the investigation. (Editor: Tang Sheng-yang) 1150515
Teodoro responded to questions from Philippine media while attending an Army event today, stating that while the shooting incident could affect the overall atmosphere of stability in the Philippines, it has not affected the professionalism of the Department of National Defense and the armed forces.
He emphasized that the Philippine military has learned from its history of improper political intervention in previous years.
Since 1986, the Philippines has experienced two "People Power" revolutions, one of which led to the downfall of the father of the current president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., as well as more than 10 failed military coup attempts. The topic of military coups remains sensitive in the Philippines to this day.
On the evening of the 13th, at least 10 gunshots were heard in the Senate. Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Ma. O. Aplasca admitted in a television interview that he first fired a warning shot at agents from the National Bureau of Investigation near the Senate, and the NBI agents then returned fire.
Aplasca stated that on the night of the incident, he perceived a "threat against the Senate," went to the scene to investigate, and after speaking with the other party, fired into the air, stressing that this action was in line with the "rules of engagement."
At the time, Senator Ronald dela Rosa, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC), was seeking asylum inside the Senate. Government law enforcement agencies, including the NBI, were thought to be potentially cooperating with the ICC to arrest dela Rosa, leading to a standoff.
Dela Rosa served as the Chief of the Philippine National Police during former President Rodrigo Duterte's term and is listed by the ICC as an "indirect accomplice" in the bloody war on drugs. In the early morning following the shooting, he is believed to have left the Senate in another senator's car, and his current whereabouts are unknown.
On the other hand, Aplasca stated in an interview with DZRH radio today that the Senate's surveillance footage did not capture images of the exchange of fire, but the Department of the Interior and Local Government said investigators are trying to "recover" the data from the memory card.
According to a report by GMA News Network, Aplasca was appointed to the position of Senate Sergeant-at-Arms upon dela Rosa's nomination, and the two were classmates at the Philippine Military Academy in their early years.
Philippine Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla today ordered a six-month "preventive" suspension without pay for Aplasca to cooperate with the investigation. (Editor: Tang Sheng-yang) 1150515