Metro Manila, Philippines – Sen. Imee Marcos called on the president to temporarily relieve three National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) executives the morning after chaos erupted in the Senate.
In a letter to the president, the senator expressed “serious concern over the alleged firing of shots” she claimed were from some of the bureau’s agents.
Marcos named the following officials:
• NBI Director Melvin Matibag
• NBI-NCR chief Emeterio Dongallo Jr.
• NBI Organized and Transnational Crime Division chief Jerome Bomediano
“Such temporary relief is necessary to preserve the integrity and credibility of the investigation and to remove any appearance of undue influence or impropriety,” she said.
The Senate went into lockdown after its session on Wednesday as the military, agents, and police officers surrounded the building.
A few shots rang in the halls of the second floor moments after the lockdown.
In a press briefing with Palace press officer Claire Castro, Matibag responded to the senator’s call and maintained that the bureau has done nothing unlawful in the incident.
“That is the prerogative of the good senator, pero tayo naman po nagsisilbi po tayo sa pleasure po ng ating appointing authority (but we are serving at the pleasure of the appointing authority),” he said.
“Nakakasiguro po kayo, at nakita n’yo naman, wala pong pagkilos ang NBI na hindi po sumunod sa batas at sa proseso,” Matibag added.
[Translation: You can be sure, and you have seen, the NBI has acted in accordance with the law and the processes.]
The NBI director confirmed that a Senate staff member fired the first shot and that the suspected gunman is not an employee of the bureau.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said there were no recorded casualties and authorities are investigating the matter.
Dela Rosa is under Senate protective custody while he evades a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court in relation to his stint as chief implementor of the Duterte administration’s bloody drug war.
