National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag pushed back against Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano’s remark that the bureau had failed to “undermine” the Senate.
On Monday, May 18, the NBI chief stressed that the NBI’s actions were rooted in law enforcement and not directed at any individual or institution.
Cayetano had earlier said during a press briefing: “Ang message ko sa NBI, hindi niyo natibag ang Senado. Under Alan Cayetano, hindi niyo natibag ang Senado.”
In response, Matibag said: “Bakit? Gusto ba namin tibagin ‘yung Senado? Gusto lang namin ipatupad ‘yung batas. Saka, it’s not about Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, it’s about the Senate and the judicial system. That’s an institution enshrined in the Constitution. We respect it.”
The exchange comes in the wake of the May 13 shooting incident at the Senate, which drew attention to the role of NBI agents in proceedings involving the legislative branch amid the standoff over the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.
In a related development, the NBI released bodycam footage showing that arrested driver Mel Oragon was unarmed and located in a different area when the shooting took place—with authorities noting that while ammunition was found in his sling bag and a gunpowder nitrate test returned positive, these results are not conclusive proof that he fired a weapon.
Oragon has since been temporarily released after posting bail on Monday, with the CIDG investigation ongoing.
