PNP denies altering Senate shooting CCTV footage

The Philippine National Police has defended the integrity of its investigation into the May 13 shooting incident inside the Senate, insisting that the CCTV footage presented to the public was authentic and not manipulated, amid allegations of tampering.

PNP chief Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said the footage used in the investigation was properly sourced, time-stamped, and presented in its original form.

“The integrity of our investigative process is paramount and the footage we presented is authentic, time-stamped, and direct from the source, leaving no room for claims of manipulation,” Nartatez said in a statement.

The clarification came after suspended Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms chief Mao Aplasca was quoted in reports alleging that CCTV clips shown during a Malacañang briefing were “spliced” and did not accurately reflect the sequence of events.

Nartatez said authorities remain open to independent technical review of the evidence in order to maintain transparency and public confidence in the ongoing investigation.

“We remain fully transparent and welcome any objective, expert validation of these files, as our only objective is to present the unvarnished truth of the events that transpired at the Senate,” he added.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) earlier recommended the filing of charges against Aplasca and two other Senate security personnel in connection with the incident.

In a separate development, Nartatez said security units including the Maritime Group and Aviation Security Group have been placed on alert to prevent any attempt by Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa to leave the country.

Dela Rosa, who is subject of an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant, reportedly left Senate custody on May 14 following the incident, sparking speculation over the circumstances surrounding the shooting.

Authorities, however, said coordination with the Bureau of Immigration showed no record of foreign travel by the senator, though monitoring has been intensified at all possible exit points, including maritime routes.

Nartatez also said the PNP will defer to the Department of Justice for further guidance following the Supreme Court’s denial of Dela Rosa’s request for a temporary restraining order against the ICC warrant.