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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Cayetano urges Ombudsman to also suspend NBI chief Matibag

Cayetano urges Ombudsman to also suspend NBI chief Matibag

Published May 15, 2026 04:35 pm

At A Glance

  • Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano urged the Office of the Ombudsman to also place NBI Director Melvin Matibag under preventive suspension amid the ongoing investigation into the May 13 Senate shooting incident involving OSAA and NBI personnel.
  • The appeal came after Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla ordered a six-month preventive suspension of OSAA chief Mao Aplasca.
  • Cayetano said he accepts President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s assurances in good faith but raised concerns about possible misinformation reaching Malacañang, while stressing the need for transparency and Senate security ahead of upcoming impeachment proceedings.
Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday, May 15, appealed to the Office of the Ombudsman to also consider placing National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag under preventive suspension.
Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano faces members of the media at the Senate in Pasay City on May 14, 2026, following the shooting incident that triggered a lockdown inside the Senate complex a day earlier. (Mark Balmores)
Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano faces members of the media at the Senate in Pasay City on May 14, 2026, following the shooting incident that triggered a lockdown inside the Senate complex a day earlier. (Mark Balmores)
In a Facebook live, Cayetano questioned the narratives being relayed to President Marcos following the shooting incident inside the Senate on May 13.
The appeal came after Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla ordered the six-month preventive suspension of Acting Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca over the incident involving personnel of the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA) and agents of the NBI during the standoff surrounding Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.
Cayetano said he accepted in good faith the President’s assurance that authorities had been ordered to stand down, but raised concerns about whether the information reaching the Chief Executive was accurate.
President Marcos had issued a video message on the night of May 13 saying that, apart from NBI personnel who left the Senate upon his instruction, no outside military or NBI units entered the premises.
Aplasca, however, maintained that NBI agents were inside the building and said he fired a warning shot after the agents allegedly refused to lower their firearms.
“Let me just appeal to the Ombudsman, suspend also the NBI Director because he is more of a suspect than General Mao (Aplasca) dito [sa nangyari] (in what transpired),” Cayetano said.
He stressed that any independent investigation must be fair not only in its outcome but also in the way it is conducted.
“Remember po, in an investigation it’s not only the result, it’s the process. There will be no independent investigation hanggang hindi sila (NBI) sinususpend tapos ang isu-suspend ay ang sa Senate [lang],” he said.
Cayetano also maintained that the Senate fully cooperated with investigators by allowing access to CCTV footage and other transparency measures.
Meanwhile, he stated that there is a duty to inform the Senate to they can replace Aplasca.
“Number one, there is a duty to inform us so that we can replace, so that we can make sure the Senate is safe,” Cayetano said, noting that the impeachment proceedings are set to begin on Monday.
Cayetano also reiterated his trust in President Marcos’ earlier statements regarding the situation, saying he assumes the President acted in good faith based on the information available at the time.

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Alan Peter Cayetano Ombudsman National Bureau of Investigation Senate shooting
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