The Philippine National Police (PNP) has stood by the integrity of its investigation into the May 13 gun-related incident at the Senate, denying allegations that the CCTV footage presented by authorities had been altered or manipulated.
PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. issued the statement after Senate Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms chief Mao Aplasca was quoted in reports claiming that the CCTV videos shown during a Malacañang press conference on May 19 were “spliced” to supposedly change the narrative of the confrontation.
“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.
Questions have been raised over the sequence and presentation of CCTV clips related to the incident, but Nartatez maintained that the videos were part of the official evidence gathered by investigators.
He said the PNP remains open to technical examination by qualified experts if needed, stressing that the police force’s goal is to preserve public trust and establish the facts behind the incident.
“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,” Nartatez said.
The PNP chief also assured the public that the investigation would remain fair, impartial, and transparent, adding that the evidence would ultimately speak for itself in the proper legal forum.
“We assure the public that the PNP is committed to a fair, impartial, and transparent investigation,” he said.
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group earlier said it would recommend the filing of charges before the Department of Justice against Aplasca and two other OSAA personnel in connection with the Senate gun-related incident.