Former Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Files Counter-Affidavit on Obstruction of Justice Complaint

Former Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca has filed his counter-affidavit on the obstruction of justice complaint filed against him with the Office of the Ombudsman over the departure of Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa from the Senate premises in May. Atty. Kristoffer Purisima, legal counsel of Aplasca, on Friday said the former police officer filed his answer before the anti-graft body on July 9. “My client, PMGEN Mao Aplasca (Ret.), filed on July 9 his Counter-Affidavit in connection with the Ombudsman’s investigation into alleged obstruction of justice. The Counter-Affidavit was submitted through personal filing and furnished complainants’ counsel by registered mail,” Purisima told reporters. In June, opposition coalition Tindig Pilipinas and several groups filed an obstruction of justice complaint with the Ombudsman over Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa’s departure from Senate premises despite an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Named respondents were Aplasca, who was serving as then-Acting Senate Sergeant-at-Arms, as well as Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and Robinhood Padilla. According to the complainants, the respondents granted protective custody to Dela Rosa to prevent the senator from being arrested on a warrant issued by the ICC over alleged crimes against humanity due to drug war deaths during his term as police chief. This protective custody, which was granted to dela Rosa on May 11 after Cayetano was elected Senate President, was followed by Aplasca firing multiple warning shots at National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents that sent Senate personnel, media practitioners, and other civilians inside the Senate premises into panic and chaos. After the shooting incident on May 13, it was also later learned that Padilla and Dela Rosa left the Senate premises together. Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla previously ordered the respondents to answer the complaint, with Cayetano filing his counter-affidavit through registered mail on July 8. A manifestation was also filed by his legal counsel on July 9. “The earlier filing by registered mail was done out of an abundance of caution that work in government offices may be suspended on 09 July 2026 because of Typhoon Inday,” Atty. Apolinario Caymo II, one of Cayetano’s lawyers, said. —LDF, GMA News