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Matibag Explains Senate Drilling Amid Questions Over Standoff
Screengrab from RTVM
NBI Director Melvin Matibag addressed growing questions surrounding the tense incident inside the Senate compound, saying some agents from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) believe the confrontation may have been staged.
Matibag made the statement while responding to allegations that the dramatic standoff inside the Senate complex on May 13 may have been orchestrated amid the controversy involving Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.
The NBI chief also explained the controversial drilling operation seen in videos taken during the chaos, clarifying that the activity was not part of an assault operation.
According to Matibag, the individuals involved in the drilling were removing a lock connecting the Senate and the GSIS building because the key remained inside the Senate premises. He said authorities wanted to close off the area after different people had already been moving in and out, making it difficult to secure employees and the compound.
Matibag added that the area was eventually blocked using a metal cabinet to prevent further access between the buildings.
He also cited information relayed to him by GSIS President and General Manager Jose Arnulfo Veloso, who reportedly recommended sealing the access point due to security concerns as tensions escalated inside the Senate compound.
The NBI Director further clarified reports involving Mel Aragan, the man allegedly linked to the gunfire incident inside the Senate complex.
According to Matibag, Aragan is not an official NBI agent but only a volunteer associated with the agency. He also confirmed that several NBI personnel identified Aragan as a driver who had worked with some agents.
The incident has sparked multiple investigations after gunshots were fired during the confrontation involving Senate security personnel and armed individuals inside the compound.
Earlier, Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano described the incident as an attack on the Senate and called for a full investigation into the events surrounding the standoff, the reported escape of dela Rosa, and the presence of armed men inside the Senate complex.
Authorities have yet to release the final results of the ongoing investigation as questions continue to surround the confrontation and the conflicting accounts from different agencies involved.
Matibag made the statement while responding to allegations that the dramatic standoff inside the Senate complex on May 13 may have been orchestrated amid the controversy involving Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.
The NBI chief also explained the controversial drilling operation seen in videos taken during the chaos, clarifying that the activity was not part of an assault operation.
According to Matibag, the individuals involved in the drilling were removing a lock connecting the Senate and the GSIS building because the key remained inside the Senate premises. He said authorities wanted to close off the area after different people had already been moving in and out, making it difficult to secure employees and the compound.
Matibag added that the area was eventually blocked using a metal cabinet to prevent further access between the buildings.
He also cited information relayed to him by GSIS President and General Manager Jose Arnulfo Veloso, who reportedly recommended sealing the access point due to security concerns as tensions escalated inside the Senate compound.
The NBI Director further clarified reports involving Mel Aragan, the man allegedly linked to the gunfire incident inside the Senate complex.
According to Matibag, Aragan is not an official NBI agent but only a volunteer associated with the agency. He also confirmed that several NBI personnel identified Aragan as a driver who had worked with some agents.
The incident has sparked multiple investigations after gunshots were fired during the confrontation involving Senate security personnel and armed individuals inside the compound.
Earlier, Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano described the incident as an attack on the Senate and called for a full investigation into the events surrounding the standoff, the reported escape of dela Rosa, and the presence of armed men inside the Senate complex.
Authorities have yet to release the final results of the ongoing investigation as questions continue to surround the confrontation and the conflicting accounts from different agencies involved.
May 14, 2026
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