Amid a flood of online conspiracy theories surrounding the May 13 Senate gunfire incident, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has appealed to the public for calm and sobriety, promising a swift but meticulous investigation into the matter.
PNP Chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez, Jr. assured the public that the investigation’s findings would be released as soon as possible.
However, he urged patience, noting the highly sensitive nature of the case, which requires investigators to carefully piece together the sequence of events.
“Just like everyone, we in the PNP are also interested to know everything about this incident. We are looking into all the angles based on facts and all the pieces of evidence that we have, and we can get in order to come up with a clear picture of what really happened in the interest of truth, accountability and justice,” Nartatez said.
The PNP chief previously guaranteed a fair and comprehensive probe into the shooting, addressing rampant social media speculation that the incident was staged to facilitate the escape of Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa.
Dela Rosa, who faces an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant for his role as a co-perpetrator in the Duterte administration’s bloody war on drugs, resurfaced on Monday, May 11, after six months in hiding.
His sudden reappearance coincided with a Senate leadership coup that installed Senator Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate President.
Following the gunfire incident, social media platforms erupted with intense discussions fueled by rumors and unverified claims.
Nartatez disclosed that investigators have already secured significant pieces of evidence and witness testimonies, including an interrogation of the arrested suspect and copies of CCTV footage retrieved from the Senate during the time of the incident.
He added that relevant government agencies are cooperating fully with the police.
“We acknowledge the urgency of providing all our kababayan definite answers to their questions over the incident, answers that are based on facts and as a result of meticulous investigation,” Nartatez stated. “The Filipino people deserve to know the truth, and we in the PNP commits to release the investigation in the soonest possible time.”
In the meantime, the top cop reiterated his call for the public to allow the PNP the necessary time to fulfill its mandate of uncovering the truth.