Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla on Friday, May 15, put Senator Jinggoy Estrada on notice, warning that if Senate closed-circuit television footage from the night of the May 13 shooting incident goes missing, the senator himself could become a prime suspect—directly referencing reports that Estrada was heard on video instructing Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca to keep the recordings.
“Kasama syempre si Senator Jinggoy Estrada. Kasi nga merong insinuations na sinabi niya na itago yung CCTV. Kung ano ang tono nun, malalaman natin ‘pag may nawala diyan, baka naman siyang mapaghinalaan,” Remulla said during a press conference.
The Ombudsman confirmed that a subpoena has been issued for the Senate’s CCTV footage from the night of May 13, as part of the investigation into the shooting incident that erupted during the standoff over the International Criminal Court arrest warrant against Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.
“Sana naman ay walang nawawala na footage sapagkat may mga allegations tsaka merong mga nagsasabi, baka tinago na yung mga CCTV footage. Sana naman walang cover-up dito,” Remulla said.
The subpoena came directly in response to a video recording in which a male voice—subsequently identified as Estrada—was heard telling Aplasca to keep the CCTV footage as Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda was questioning Aplasca about who fired the shots and who was inside the building during the incident.
“Itago niyo yung CCTV,” Estrada was heard saying on the recording, as Aplasca told Legarda that footage may be recovered from the cameras.
Remulla said the Ombudsman’s investigation will cover not only Aplasca and the OSAA but all senators present during the standoff, with Estrada’s case among the most closely watched given the CCTV instruction.
The Ombudsman said the tone and context of Estrada’s remark will be a critical factor in determining whether he faces liability—and that the disappearance of any footage would significantly darken the cloud of suspicion over him.
Senator Robin Padilla was also named as part of the investigation, after reports emerged that he was the last person seen with Aplasca on the CCTV footage before the shooting. Remulla confirmed Padilla’s inclusion, saying all senators present during the standoff will be asked to provide their accounts of what happened on the night of May 13.
The Ombudsman said the investigation panel has been formed and will be complete by end of Friday, with subpoenas to be issued as early as next week covering all parties—senators, OSAA, NBI, PNP, DILG, and media witnesses who were present during the incident.
Remulla also said media personnel will be asked to submit affidavits and share their own footage with the Ombudsman. “We will ask our friends from media to submit their own affidavits para ma-narrate nila yung pangyayari together with the footages,” he said.
On the question of whether the incident was staged, Remulla said the CCTV footage is central to establishing the truth. “There are allegations na ito’y ginawang moro-moro, scripted. Tingnan natin kung scripted ito. We will find out from the facts as we are able to gather everything properly,” he said.
